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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27309241">Rapture and Redemption</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TurtleVale/pseuds/TurtleVale'>TurtleVale</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Romance, Soulbros, Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 20:19:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>35,125</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27309241</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TurtleVale/pseuds/TurtleVale</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This follows the finale of Angel and is an idea of what could have happened if there were to be another season that combined both BtVS and Angel. </p><p>A special thanks to deathbymusic! Without their notes and encouragement this may have never been written. There aren't enough words to tell you how grateful I am. #soulbros</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/deathbymusic/gifts">deathbymusic</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 1<br/>
The landscape of Los Angeles, city of angels, now looked like anything but holy. Many bodies of innocent victims lay, bloodied and partially eaten all throughout the streets. Burning infernos could be seen from nearly any vantage point. They were the only light source as the sun had been blotted out by inky black clouds, and the electricity had been snuffed out. Sundry demons of all varieties now dominated this city, desolating it with their presence. A pile of slain demons had accrued in one alley in particular.<br/>
Angel, Spike, and Illyria stood over their fallen foes, and a fallen ally. Blood pooled beneath the body of Charles Gunn. As the adrenaline in their systems began to drop the group finally took notice of him.<br/>
“Damn it! Doesn’t anyone know how to stay alive amongst this lot?” Spike said trying his level best to hide his sorrow.<br/>
“He fought bravely and did his best, Spike.” Angel quipped but it was quiet. He was fond of Gunn. They had bonded over the many battles they fought together. Despite when they first met Gunn had been a leader of a vampire hunting faction, Angel was able to win him over. It seemed to be a knack he possessed, convincing those who kill vampires to not kill him.<br/>
“He still has a pulse.” Illyria said plainly.<br/>
“What?! How? Just look at all of that blood!” Spike’s outburst belied his truest of feelings over this.<br/>
Angel knelt over Gunn, getting a fair bit of his blood on his black clothes. He placed his fingers on Gunn's neck and waited. Forty seconds to be exact. Yet there it was. Faint, but there. Gunn did still have a pulse.<br/>
“She’s right.” Was all Angel could bring himself to say.<br/>
“How could you tell just by looking at him?” Spike began “oh right, the whole being a God thing. Guess it does have its perks.” He quickly realized.<br/>
“We have to get him to a….” Angel trailed off realizing the state of things within the city. Of course no hospitals would be in operation right now.<br/>
“Have to get him some treatment right? We have to try!” Spike said urgently.<br/>
“We do not have the time. He would not make it.” Illyria said simply just eyeing his body up and down.<br/>
“We still have to try! What do you want us to do? Just give up on him?” Spike shouted stepping up into Illyria's face. Illyria did not take her eyes off of Gunn.<br/>
“There is nothing we can do. None of my powers allow me to heal wounds or instill blood within someone.” Illyria’s tone never broke, seemingly unaffected by all of this.<br/>
“Instill blood?” Angel said as he looked up at Illyria “Well that’s something we can do.”<br/>
“Angel, what the hell are you thinking?” Spike said cutting his eyes down to meet Angel’s.<br/>
“Well, half of the process is already done. He’s been drained of blood. All we would have to do is give him ours.” Angel said with a pensive look on his face.<br/>
“You cannot be serious! You of all people know what it feels like to have THIS forced upon you!” Spoke was furious at the implication of turning Gunn against his will.<br/>
“It’s the only thing we can do to save him.” Angel replied in almost a whisper looking back to Gunn.<br/>
“You ponce! You know it wouldn’t be HIM that woke up! He’d come back wrong. Exactly like what happened to us. You know the rules.” Spike at this point had taken a knee next to Angel and was trying to make eye contact.<br/>
“Yeah, and you and I both wound up with souls.” Angel looked up to meet his gaze “We could do the same for him.”<br/>
“Oh yes and we both know precisely how happy we are living as vampires with souls! Angel, no, he didn’t choose this. And I don’t think if he could talk to us right now that he WOULD choose it.” Spike continued to argue his point.<br/>
“Spike, he made a deal with the heads of Wolfram and Heart so that he would be imbued with legal knowledge. He’s already made a similar deal.” Angel continued to argue his point. Both of them standing now rather than kneeling.<br/>
“Oh yes, he made that deal! But something tells me if the deal came with bursting into flames at the slightest drop of sunlight touching his beautiful flesh then he wouldn’t be so hyped about it!” Spike’s voice was quite loud at this point.<br/>
Angel’s fists began to clinch. But before he could continue, Illyria stepped between the two and pushed them apart quite handily. Her strength causing them to slide backwards several feet.<br/>
“Enough of this,” she began with a calm tone “If we continue to shout we are just going to attract more demons, and we do not have much more time to make this decision. Gunn is quite close to death. So right now, decide.” She finished by looking to her left at Spike, then to her right at Angel. Making eye contact with each of them.<br/>
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Spike, you’re right. Gunn would have never chosen to become a vampire, this is just me being selfish and not wanting to lose him.” Angel said turning away from the two of them.<br/>
“Well I’m absolutely astonished. You heard him right?” Spike queried as he looked to Illyria. “He said I was right. Well that’s a first. A first I won’t be soon to forget.”<br/>
Illyria rolled her eyes.<br/>
Angel knelt down to lift Gunn's body.<br/>
“Well, if we can’t save him, we need to find a resting place far better than this.” Angel said holding the now lifeless corpse of Charles Gunn. Blood now staining a great deal of Angel.<br/>
“That is something we can all agree on.” Spike said with a sincere smile. “He deserves better than this squalid alley.”<br/>
“Where are we going to take him?” Illyria asked.<br/>
“I think I know the perfect place.” Angel replied.<br/>
The group walked on. Hiking from back alley to back alley. Avoiding more demons at all costs. They needed time to regroup and develop some sort of plan. They needed time to ponder on if this city was even capable of being saved at this point. Even with the three of them possessing supernatural speed, strength, and reflexes the hike took them the better part of an hour. Their pace was delayed a few times by staying still and hidden from a swarm of demons. Yet, eventually they found their way to the hotel.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 2 <br/>“I mean it looks nice and all, but, what is this place?” Spike questioned as the three of them stepped in through the front doors. <br/>“I assume it holds some emotional significance to Charles. I am awash in the awareness that emotional significance is held with high regard to mortals.” Illyria responded taking in the interior. <br/>“Its where we were all living before we agreed to take over Wolfram and Heart. This is where we all really bonded. So yeah, emotional significance is right.” Angel responded as he carried Gunn across the bottom floor and to the back doors. <br/>“You owned this place Angel? Well I knew you were better with money than me, but I never knew you had this much cash to throw around. Exactly how much do you have tucked away anyways?” Spike asked following but still taking the time to appreciate the vastness and décor. <br/>“I’m not discussing financials with you, especially not right now. We have a ceremony to conduct.” Angel said as he pressed his back against the back doors to open them. His arms were preoccupied with carrying Gunn. <br/>“Ah right, that would be pretty tactless. Well hold on and I’ll help you get a proper grave dug. If anyone here knows anything about a proper grave it’d the guy that lived in a graveyard for the better part of the past four years.” Spike said following Angel into the backyard and garden. <br/>“I am pretty sure he and Fred would spend time out here together. I know it’s where most of us would come to sit and think.” Angel said gently setting Gunn down and finding a pair of shovels. He handed one to Spike, and the two of them set about their task. <br/>Illyria walked throughout the hotel. Unimpressed by it, she still felt the need to acquaint herself with her surroundings. She saw the office, that once belonged to Angel then belonged to Wesley. She saw the various weapon caches throughout the building. Then she made her way upstairs and into their bedrooms. One by one she took them in. Observing how scarce Gunn’s bedroom was. Noting how many books lined the shelves within Wesley’s room. Seeing the garish and plush décor of Cordelia’s room. Then finally she came to a room with writing covering all of the walls. <br/>Some of it words, some of it mathematical equations. All of it bared some sort of meaning. Why did it all feel so familiar to her? She stepped up to the walls and read every word and numerical sequence. She ran her hand along the ink feeling the need to make contact with it. This gave her comfort, and she was bewildered as to why. Then a flash. A flood of memories overwhelmed Illyria. She saw Winifred Burkle moving her belongings into this room. Setting things up in just the way she would like it. Then busting out the writing implements and scrawling all along these walls. This was Fred’s way. An adopted way from years of living in a demonic plane within a cave. But her way nonetheless. <br/>“Why the walls?” Illyria thought to herself. “Why the walls when she had access to paper? There are things about mortals I will simply never understand”  <br/>Angel and Spike had finished digging the grave to an appropriate size and depth. Then they took Gunn’s body and layer it within as carefully as they could manage. Next the task of recovering the grave with soil began. Two by two they dug their shovels within the mound of earth, scooping it up and dropping it back in. Over their fallen friend. <br/>For the longest time the sounds of their shovels making thuds against the dirt was the only sounds that could be hear. Well, save for the distant screams and the flapping of leathery demonic wings echoing all throughout Los Angeles. <br/>“What are we going to do, Spike?” Angel finally needed to brake the tension. <br/>“Well, we get our buddy here nice and covered then I suppose we say some nice words about him. Right? Only every been to one funeral, and I didn’t exactly play a part in it.” Spike responded, taking a moment to remember Buffy’s second demise. <br/>“No, I meant about Los Angeles. About the world. What can we do now?” Angel clarified. <br/>“Oh, right. I’m not sure man. What the hell can we do? Is this place even salvageable at this point?” Spike asked in a sincere manner. <br/>“I don’t know. Maybe if we had an army. Maybe if we had the Slayer.” Angel responded. <br/>“Hey yeah! Brilliant idea! Why didn’t I think of that?” Spike slammed his shovel down in the earth in sheer celebration. <br/>“Wait, what idea? I was saying maybes…” Angel stopped his digging too in confusion. <br/>“Come on, Angel, think about it. You said army and Slayer in the same breath. There just happens to be an army of Slayers now! Remember?” Spike explained. <br/>“Oh, well now I’m saying this a second time in the same day…Spike you’re right.” Angel stared at Spike surprised, and for the first time in a while filled with a sense of hope.<br/>“Damn right! A momentous day indeed! The apocalypse started AND you’ve agreed with me twice!” Spike had to pump his fist entirely too pleased with himself. <br/>“We just have to figure out a way to get in touch with them. The last time we tried asking Giles for help he wasn’t exactly forthcoming with any aid.” Angel replied, his eyes now darting back and forth at how exactly to manage this. <br/>“Well NOW they are bound to help! Its their code mate! They can’t resist the calling of impending doom. It’s like what gets them off or something. Cause they’re heroes!” Spike exclaimed, excited at a semblance of a plan coming together. Also excited at the prospect of seeing Buffy again, but Angel didn’t need to hear that part. <br/>“Lets finish up here before we try and get in touch with them.” Angel said pulling focus back to the grim task at hand. <br/>“Oh right…” was all Spike could manage. <br/>The two continued to pile the dirt forming a proper grave. Then they took the time to smooth it over and make it look nice and even. For some time afterwards the two just stood there, shovels still in hands, silently. They both had managed to get a fair bit of dirt all over, which for a pair of vampires wasn’t all that new. <br/>“Loyal.” Angel finally said quietly. His tone giving away just how much this was beginning to hurt. <br/>“Huh? Come again?” Spike asked confused turning to face the broody vampire. <br/>“Charles Gunn was a loyal man. It’s probably the best word to describe him.” Angel clarified, raising his voice only slightly. <br/>“Ah, right. Loyal, and bloody handy with a blade or a stake in his hand!” Spike exclaimed joining in. <br/>When it became clear that Angel wasn’t going to say anything else, or was it that he couldn’t say anything else?, Spike stepped up beside him and simply placed a hand on his shoulder. Angel turned his head to Spike’s hand and stared at it for a moment. The moment passed abruptly as Angel turned to embrace Spike in a much needed hug. The two stood there hugging for a time over the grave of their fallen friend. <br/>Illyria watched the two soul possessing vampires in a strange display of comforting affection. She began to feel something. A sensation she did not understand because she had never felt it before. A singular tear formed and ran down her cheek. She simply wiped it away.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 3 <br/>“Alright everyone, you know the drill, keep your eyes peeled.” Andrew said through the headset. He was safely residing within his new van, complete with surveillance technology. He could watch and listen in on all the action through the body cameras the Slayers were wearing, and communicate with them through the com links he had developed. <br/>“Those of us fortunate enough to have EYES, plural.” Said Xander who was standing behind Andrew also within this fancy van. <br/>“Ah, right, uh sorry about that. Everyone keep their…..ummm….senses alert then.” Andrew corrected himself then covered the speaker to his headset and turned to look at Xander “That better?” <br/>Xander simply winked and nodded with a smirk. <br/>The team of Slayers patrolled through the graveyard. They had been directed their by Willow and Giles, who have been as of late using some sort of detecting magic to learn where vampires may be. Not that they needed magic to know vampires are almost always hiding out in graveyards. Still, the team of  Kennedy, Violet, Rona, and Amanda marched through the damp earth and head stones of one of many of Freeburg's graveyards. <br/>“Yeah, I’m pretty sure we know what we’re doing, thanks.” Snapped Kennedy. <br/>“I think he was just trying to be helpful…” Violet said sheepishly. <br/>“We knew what we came out here to do! Willow said there would be vamps in the area so we’re here to kill some vamps.” Kennedy practically barked back at Violet. <br/>“And if the shouting continues they are gonna get the drop on us before we have a chance to defend ourselves.” Rona said with a smirk. <br/>“I’m pretty sure I just heard something.” Amanda said stopping still and looking to a nearby crypt. “sounded like it came from over there.” <br/>“Watching these kiddos just makes me reminisce about the good ole days. When it was just me, Willow, Giles, and Buffy. Man I miss Buffy. She needs to hurry on back from her trip.” Xander said with a sigh. <br/>“Well hold on I think I just saw some movement” Andrew began “Yeah, Amanda pretty sure you were right. Okay you four, attack protocol Alpha Zero Seven INITIATE!” Andrew shouted through the headsets. The four Slayers stood in place confused, exchanging glances with one another. <br/>“Ummmm what?” was all Violet could manage as a response. <br/>“Ugh why do I even come up with names for these strategies if NONE of you are going to remember them??” Andrew replied frustrated. <br/>“Its best to keep these orders simple, buddy” Xander said as he slid the headset off Andrew’s head and placed it onto his “Rona and Kennedy go around to the left of the crypt, Vi and Amanda you two take the right. That way you’ll surround them. <br/>“Okay fine, but next time you need to ask before taking Cerebro.” Andrew snapped as he snatched back the headset. <br/>The Slayers nodded and broke off into their pairings. Circling around the crypt the came to the back of it where they found the culprit. The source of the noise and movement was a small tabby cat. Upon seeing the four ladies it simply rolled to it’s back and lifted it’s claws staring up at them wide eyed, as cats do. <br/>“Well this is just the cutest lil vampire!” Amanda exclaimed as she knelt to begin petting the now putting kitten. <br/>“Yeah I wish all patrols wound up with kitty affection.” Violet said smiling widely. <br/>“Are you sure this is what you heard, Amanda?” Rona asked thoughtfully. <br/>“Probably so, the vamps are probably long gone by no-“ Kennedy’s sentence was cut short by a vampire leaping onto her back tackling her to the ground. <br/>The other three Slayers yelped and sprang into action. Rona pulled the vampire off of Kennedy and through it into the wall of the crypt with a loud this. Violet then attempted to lung forward with a stake to the heart but tripped over the kitten instead and landed on her face. The vampire took that opportunity to begin striking at Rona. The two exchanged blows, parrying most of the strikes and only landing a few. Amanda knelt to help Violet back to her feet, just in time for a second vampire to grab the two of them from behind and attempt to sink his teeth into their necks. <br/>“Am I the only one who has her shit together?!’ Kennedy exclaimed as she stood. She flung herself at the vampire locked in combat with Rona. She was able to grab his arms and hold him still. Rona drew her stake and drove it into the heart of the vampire, dusting it immediately. <br/>Both Violet and Amanda were able grab the arms of the vampire behind them then flip him over their shoulders. Violet knelt to pin his arms to the ground then Amanda jumped on him stake first through the chest. Dust immediately surrounded them. The tabby cat had only run a few feet away from the action, and once it was over it came up to nuzzle against Amanda’s leg with a tiny meow. <br/>“Awwwwww sweetie! Okay you are mine now.” Amanda squealed as she knelt to pick up the cat. The cat allowed this and continued it’s purring. <br/>“Huzzah! Well done team! Okay now you should just do sweeps over the rest of the graveyard then we can call it a night.” Andrew said with pure glee. <br/>“Man I really miss Buffy, she would have had some one liners.” Xander said solemnly watching the screens. He imagined how much more efficiently Buffy would have handled those two amateur vampires. He wore a slight frown. <br/>“So what was that about you being the ONLY ONE to have their shit together?” asked Rona as the four of them continued their patrol. <br/>“The three of you were getting your asses kicked by TWO vampires, not even Uber Vamps. That is, until I saved you.” Kennedy stated confidently. <br/>“But, you kinda were the first one to get taken down….” Violet said at practically a whisper. <br/>“YEAH! And I sprang back to my feet and kicked their asses!” Kennedy snapped. <br/>“Uh, but me and Vi handled our vamp” began Amanda, the kitten in her arm let out another tiny meow “Oh you too sweetheart, we couldn’t have done it without you.” She said booping the nose of the kitten. <br/>“Whatever, everyone here knows that I’m the Slayer who’s made the most progress. I’m the natural leader here.” Kenned said walking to the front of the group. <br/>“Excuse me?” Rona asked indignantly. “You got tackled, I pulled him off of you. Does your memory serious just not function?” <br/>“Ladies please, all that matters is that you succeeded!” Andrew pleaded through their com links. <br/>“Yeah, whatever.” Kennedy snorted. <br/>The rest of the patrol continued silence, save for the sounds of the purring kitten. The Slayers finished sweeping through the rest of the graveyard then made their way back to the van to rejoin Xander and Andrew. The Slayers had taken to calling the pair Xandrew when they were alone. <br/>“I’m not picking up on any more vampire activity within Sunnydale. Are you?” Giles said has he stood from his meditative seated position and crossed the room of their new home base to where Willow was seated. She didn’t respond right away. She was still in her trance like state, the spell still in affect. Her eyes while closed began to clinch. Her brow furrowed. Then she let out shriek of pain. <br/>“Willow!” Giles shouted as he grabbed her shoulders snapping her out of the spell. She opened her eyes and shook her head slightly. Her eyes were slightly glossy, and tears had formed beneath them. <br/>“Willow, what happened?” Giles asked helping her to her feet. <br/>“My senses extended beyond Sunnydale. Almost like they were pulled. There’s something big going on Giles.” Willow said as Giles led her to the couch and helped her sit down. <br/>“Where did your senses take you?” Giles asked as headed into the kitchen and began brewing some tea. <br/>“I think it was LA. Giles I think Angel is in trouble. There was something, just wrong I felt there.” Willow explained trying to gather her thoughts. <br/>“Wrong? What do you mean?” Giles asked from the kitchen as the water began to boil. <br/>“It felt like sensing the presence of every demon I’ve ever sensed, but all at once.” Willow continued to try to make sense of her thoughts. <br/>“Uhhhh guys?” Dawn began as she was heading down stairs. “I just got off the phone with a friend, she says she saw something on the news about all of LA being like on fire or something?” <br/>Giles brought a couple of cups of tea and set them down on the table in front of Willow. Then he grabbed the remote to turn on the TV. Flipping through the channels until he saw a news reporter with a live feed hovering over Los Angeles. The shot was being filmed from a helicopter and could only see large rolling clouds of inky darkness and the flames ignited amongst most of the buildings. <br/>“This is the unfortunate scene of beloved Los Angeles as no news comes from within the city itself. We are left to speculate as to what is going on in the City of Angels. Only smoke and fire can be seen rising from the city scape. And only screams of sheer terror can be heard. We at station five Freeburg news have yet to receive word as to what  Governor Weathers is planning to do about the situation. We can only hope that we are able to provide aid and bring calm to this travesty.” The well dressed lady reporter said from the news studio. Just as she began to sign off the camera picked up a black tentacle stretching up from the smoke bellow. It wrapped itself around the entirety of the helicopter and the screams of the camera man and pilot could be heard just before the live feed was cut off. The news reporter lady simply sat there wide eyed and at a loss for words, before snapping back to her professionalism and began to say. <br/>“Unfortunately we are now experiencing some technical difficulties and must sign off abruptly!” the news channel then shifted programming to a commercial.<br/>“What the hell was that?” Dawn exclaimed. <br/>“We have no way of knowing just yet.” Giles said as he sipped his tea then began to clean his glasses thoughtfully. <br/>“Well we have to get in touch with Angel somehow, we have to go down there to help! Oh we need to tell Buffy too!” Willow said almost in a sputtering manner. <br/>“Perhaps I could shed some insight on the situation.” A familiar voice said from behind all of them taking them completely by surprise. They all turned quickly and were astonished to see the tall statuesque form of Dracula standing before them.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 4<br/>“So if you’re really keeping it, then you have to name it.” Rona said watching Amanda playing with the tabby cat. <br/>All four Slayers were sitting in the back of the van across from each other. Andrew was driving while Xander sat in the front passenger seat. <br/>“Hmmmm, well I’m open to suggestions.” Amanda replied not looking up from the curled up pile of adorableness nestled in her lap.<br/>“Well is it a boy or a girl?’ Violet asked leaning in to check. <br/>“Oh I’m not sure,” Amanda began, checked also, then continued “yep definitely a boy.”<br/>“Well that really shouldn’t matter.” Rona said sharply. “Names are names, they don’t gotta be tied to what’s between the legs.” <br/>“So you’d name a girl cat Mr. Fuzzington?” Andrew asked looking back for a moment. <br/>“Oh buddy it’s best for us to just stay out of this discussion.” Xander whispered to Andrew. <br/>“You are damn right I would, provided that I felt that was a good name at all.” Rona responded confidently. <br/>“Well, you’ve got a point Rona. I don’t know, Kennedy? Any suggestions for this lil cuties name?” Amanda looked to Kennedy. She was sitting nearest to the back doors of the van and simply staring out at the world as it passed by. <br/>“Kennedy? You okay?” Violet asked sheepishly. Kennedy didn’t respond. <br/>“Hey! We’re talking to you! Rude!” Rona shouted. That broke Kennedy from her trance and she looked back to the rest of them with a confused expression. <br/>“Willow” was all that she said. <br/>They all stared blankly at her for a moment. Even Xander turned his head.<br/>“I mean, it’s a nice and all, don’t get me wrong, the lil guy would be lucky to have it, but wouldn’t it be weird to name my kitty after your girlfriend?” Amanda asked. <br/>“What? No, not a name for the stupid cat-“ Kennedy retorted. <br/>“The cat isn’t stupid, he’s a sweetheart.” Violet said under her breath while looking down at the floorboard. <br/>“No damn it, Willow just spoke to me. Ya know? With magic.” Kennedy explained.<br/>“What did she say? More vamps on the loose?” Xander asked concerned. <br/>“Well one in particular, and he’s at our house.” Kennedy began. <br/>“Ooh! Is it Spike? Man I miss Spike.” Andrew quipped with glee. <br/>“No, it’s…..it’s Dracula.” Kennedy said hesitantly. <br/>“Ha! No way, Willow is just messing with you. She’s gotta be.” Andrew said laughing with confidence. “besides, isn’t he just myth? A scary story all the vampires like to scare us humans with?” <br/>“No, no he’s real. And we’ve dealt with him before.” Xander said as the color drained from his face. <br/>Andrew immediately slammed on the brakes. <br/>“Woah! What are you doing? We have to get back there.” Xander exclaimed looking at Andrew. <br/>“THE DRACULA? He’s real? And he’s at our house?” Andrew was practically hysterical. <br/>“Willow wouldn’t make something like this up.” Kennedy said while crossing her arms. <br/>“Well then that’s the last place we need to be heading! We’ll all be in danger!” Andrew began breathing heavily and quickly in and out. Xander placed a hand on his shoulder. <br/>“Willow was warning us so we could come in prepared and help them get away. We are not abandoning them.” <br/>“Ummm how do you know she wasn’t warning us to keep us from showing up? Ya know trying to protect us?” Violet asked also freaked out by the very idea of the actual Dracula being in their home. <br/>“We are going to head home, and we are going to rescue our friends. There is no arguing this.” Xander said as he took a moment to look at Andrew then each of the Slayers. “Is that understood?” <br/>“Of course.” Said Kennedy without an ounce of doubt. <br/>“Yeah I’m game.” Replied Rona with a grin. <br/>“It is the right thing to do.” Amanda said. <br/>“Well if you’re sure…” Said Violet barely above a whisper. <br/>“Yeesh okay, fine.” Andrew began as he restarted the van and continued the drive home. “Man ever since you got that eye patch you’re assertive and intimidating.” <br/>“Yep, I’m basically Nick Fury.” Xander smiled. <br/>“Well, I wouldn’t go that far.” Andrew said with a snort. <br/>Dracula practically glided his way over to the couch where Willow sat and took a seat next to her. <br/>“Don’t you dare hurt her!” Giles shouted as he rushed to a nearby weapons rack retrieving a crossbow. <br/>“Oh please. Out of all of you present she is the most capable of defending herself. She should be concerned about what I could do to you.” Dracula said not taking his gaze off of Willow. Willow wanted to back away, she wanted to leap off the couch entirely. Yet, she was held in place by Dracula’s eyes. They acted as shackles, binding her, holding her there. <br/>Dawn also rushed over to the same weapons rack and pulled out a stake and stood alongside Giles. <br/>“I do not wish to harm anyone.” Dracula said finally looking to both Dawn and Willow. They could not resist lowering their respective weapons. <br/>“Then….then why are you here?” Willow asked simultaneously captivated and horrified. <br/>“You saw what is bleeding into this world. I sensed it within you.” Dracula said running a hand along the side of Willow’s face. “All of that darkness is not of this world. It does not belong here.” <br/>“Well I must say that is quite hypocritical coming from you.” Giles said aggravated at himself for not being able to bring himself to simply shoot this monster. <br/>“Yeah, what’s the saying? The pot calling the kettle black?” Dawn said with a similar frustration consuming her. <br/>“Ah, you wound me. Yet you do not understand how I have helped shape this world with my time spent here. Though, for a change, my accolades are not of significance.” He said smiling at them all. <br/>“Yeah, I saw and felt what is going on in LA. So why are you here?” Willow was finally able to bring herself to ask. Though she was still unable to move from her spot on the couch. <br/>“I am here,” Dracula started as he stood from the couch and began slowly, decisively, pacing around the living room, “To help.” <br/>“To help?” Dawn asked puzzled. <br/>“You’re going to march into Los Angeles alongside us and fight the demons?” Giles questioned indignantly, to which Dracula laughed. <br/>“No, I have no intentions of marching into that hellish city.” Dracula responded. <br/>“Then how exactly are you going to help?” Willow asked. <br/>“By providing much needed information. You see this is an apocalypse, this world has already suffered several, and you yourselves have prevented a few. So you have expertise in this department. Though, were you left to your own devices, you would all surely parish. So I am here to explain the nature of this invasion, and how best to deal with it.” Dracula stopped his pacing for a moment to turn and face them all. <br/>The back door to their home was kicked in with a loud thud. A pair of crossbow bolts were launched from the backyard across the house and directly into Dracula’s torso. He barely winced at the impact. As soon as he turned to face his attackers. The front door was kicked in, in a similar fashion as Kennedy and Rona rushed in tackling Dracula to the ground. The drew their stakes and lifted them above their heads. Violet and Amanda came in from the back door their crossbows still trained on Dracula, waiting for an opening. Before they could drive their stakes into his heart, Dracula’s hands found their way wrapped around each of their throats and he sent them hurling in separate directions. He stood to his feet as Amanda and Violet stepped up pressing the pointed end of a bolt right up against his chest. <br/>“WAIT!” Willow shouted giving pause to the action. <br/>“Slayers, don’t listen to them. Remember they’ve been charmed by Dracula at this point. And if you hesitate he’s going to charm you too.” Xander said speaking into their com links. <br/>Even with this command, the sound of concern coming from Willow gave them pause. Kennedy rushed to her feet and stood in front of Willow. Rona stood to her feet, circled around Dracula, and stood alongside Giles and Dawn. <br/>“Go ahead and shoot if you must, it would not accomplish much.” Dracula said with a grin to the two Slayers directly in front of him. <br/>“It could buy us enough time to get everyone out of here! We could escape!” Amanda said angrily, though while looking into his eyes she no longer felt that she was capable of pulling the trigger. <br/>“Escape from what? I bring no harm to your friends.” Dracula said with a smirk. <br/>“Damn it he’s lying! Come on pull the trigger!” Xander shouted into the com links. “Andrew, if they keep stalling remember plan B?” <br/>“Drive the van in through the wall and crush him allowing everyone the time to climb in as we drive off into the moonlit highway” Andrew said with occasional breaks in his voice. <br/>“Precisely.” Xander responded. <br/>“I really don’t wanna damage my precious baby.” Andrew said with a whine. <br/>“There is a demonic presence in Los Angeles. An apocalypse level threat. And he’s here to tell us how to deal with it.” Giles explained. <br/>“Why didn’t you say that when you contacted me?” Kennedy asked turning to Willow. <br/>“I sent the message as soon as he showed up, I had no clue in the moment what he was going to do.” Willow replied as she closed the gap between her and Kennedy and hugged her. Kennedy returned the hug and kissed the top of Willow’s head. <br/>“Ah young love, how adorable. But they are correct. I come bearing pivotal information as to how to keep the reckoning from spreading.” Dracula said as he ran his fingers through the hair of both Violet and Amanda. In doing so he plucked the com links from their ears and whispered into them. “Please come join us. You will surely want to be here when I relay everything. And I so do despise having to repeat myself.” <br/>Both Xander and Andrew heard Dracula’s voice emanate from the speakers of the headset. His voice rippled through their minds and the felt compelled to do as he requested. Andrew turned off the van. Xander slid off the headset. And the two of them hopped out of the van and strolled into the home through the front door. As if it was their idea to do so. <br/>“Willow, Dawn, Giles are you all alright?” Xander asked as he gave each one a hug, pausing before he embraced Giles who stiffened his posture at the affection.  <br/>“Yeah he hasn’t hurt us, yet anyways.” Dawn said eyeing Dracula up and down. <br/>“I am so glad almost everyone is here. Now where is the true Slayer? Where is Buffy?” Dracula addressed the entire group. <br/>“Excuse me? True Slayer? There are four Slayers right here show some damn respect!” Kenned said taking a step forward. <br/>“This does not change my question. Buffy will be undoubtedly needed amongst your ranks to successfully fulfill this world saving task.” Dracula stated confidently. <br/>“She is out of the country I’m afraid. On a trip.” Giles said while uncomfortably cleaning his glasses. <br/>“Then, regrettably, I suppose this must go on without her.” Dracula began. <br/>“Ummm hi, sorry, so what exactly is going on?” Violet asked as she lowered her crossbow and stepped away. Amanda did the same. <br/>The tabby cat wondered in through the still open front door and nuzzled against Amanda’s leg. <br/>“Awww buddy I didn’t forget about you! But you were supposed to stay safe in the van.” Amanda said as she knelt to pick the kitten up. It began to purr but then it’s eyes fell on Dracula and it hissed, wriggled free from Amanda’s grasp, and rat back out the front door. “I was gonna keep you safe! Don’t run! Ah damn it, I hope he comes back.” <br/>“Regardless of your affections for the feline creatures. There is a gate that has been opened. One that once sealed away the planes of hell, keeping those demons at bay in their own homes. Now that the gate has been smashed through, all of the demons from all of the planes may now freely enter this one. Though, the one thing in our favor, is that the opening is not large enough to allow them entry all at once. There is a cluster around that opening, demons fighting amongst one another to see who can barge their way in first. That is why the threat is contained to Los Angeles, so far.” Dracula explained. <br/>“So how do we deal with all those demons?” asked Rona. <br/>“We seal the gate.” Giles responded. <br/>“Very astute this one. I see his years of experience have not failed him.” Dracula said with a smirk. <br/>“Okay, great we seal the gate. But how exactly do we pull that off?” Xander asked. <br/>“There is a point of origin. The gate being open has taken on the physical form of a rift within Los Angeles. It can be sealed with a specific ritual that can surely be conducted by this one here.” Dracula said gesturing to Willow. <br/>“A ritual? Okay yeah, done those before, piece of cake. I’ll just need the instructions.” Willow said confidently holding out her hands expecting Dracula to have some scroll or book with the necessary information. <br/>“I do not possess the tome you require.” Dracula responded simply, which caused Willow to lower her hands. <br/>“Then uhhh, where is it, umm sir?” Andrew asked nervously. <br/>“This tome resides within the very building responsible for opening the rift in the first place. The law agency known as Wolfram and Heart.” Dracula explained. <br/>“So wait, we’re going to have to fight our way into LA, find a book in a law agency, WHICH I BET IS FILLED WITH BOOKS, then get Willow to the rift so she can do the ritual, all the while fending off hordes of demons?” Dawn exclaimed infuriated by the situation. <br/>“Why yes my dear, that is precisely what you will have to do. The tome is entitled Claude Ostium. Best of luck to you all.” And with those final words Dracula changed shape into a swarm of bats and flew out the front door. <br/>The gang stood silently exchanging glances with one another. The severity of the task before them sinking in. Uncertainty becoming a close acquaintance.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 5<br/>“If the two of you are finished with your inane ritual, we do have the matter of am ever growing horde of demons to rebuke.” Illyria’s commanding voice cut through the air causing Angel and Spike to hastily break away from one another. <br/>“Ye-yeah,” Angel began with a stammer still surprised at himself for having actually hugged William the Bloody, “Spike suggested we contact some people we’ve worked with before.”<br/>“Ri-right,” the same stammer had seemingly afflicted Spike, “we just don’t exactly know how to get in touch with them. I highly doubt that there’s a usable phone in all of LA right now.”<br/>“You wish to speak with someone over a great distance?” Illyria asked plainly. <br/>“Umm well yeah, they aren’t here, and they could and would offer help if they knew what was going on.” Angel responded. <br/>“Telecommunications is not a strain on my abilities.” Illyria stated. <br/>“Well alright then!” Spike began excitedly, “Ring up, wait….” He stopped suddenly unsure. <br/>“What’s wrong Spike?” Angel turned to him. <br/>“Which one of the Scoobies do we have her contact? Last we knew Buffy was busy, and Giles didn’t exactly trust us. Remember?” Spike explained while sitting on a nearby stone bench. <br/>Angel began to pace slowly about the garden thinking. Which of the Scoobies would be most likely to believe them? Which would be the least surprised to suddenly hear a voice in their head explaining the current situation in Los Angeles? <br/>“Time is a factor, vampires.” Illyria reminded the two. <br/>“We know! We just need a bloody minute to think!” Spike retorted. <br/>“Precious minutes we unfortunately do not have. You must make a decision and make one quickly.” Illyria raised her tone ever so slightly to denote the severity. <br/>“Willow.” Angel stopped his pacing and looked to the two of them. <br/>“Well she does have the most experience with magic, other than that sodding Giles.” Spike replied in agreement. <br/>“I don’t know how your powers work,” Angel stepped up face to face with Illyria, “but try to reach out for someone named Willow Rosenberg. She’s still within the California, so you shouldn’t have to search that far.” <br/>Illyria nodded. In a manner of seconds her eyes began to glow that familiar blue energy, same as the streaks that ran through what was once Fred’s hair. Then her lips began to move, yet no voice escaped. She was in mid communication, though the two vampires could not hear what she was saying. The conversation went on for a few minutes. Towards the end Illyria’s facial expression etched into one of frustration. Then finally the glowing subsided and Illyria turned to Angel and Spike who both were wide eyed just staring at her. <br/>“It is done.” Illyria stated simply. <br/>“What? Easy as all that?” Spike responded incredulously. <br/>“They were already aware of some amount of danger festering within this now damned city.” Illyria explained. <br/>“Ah, of course there is bound to be news reports covering this.” Angel said as he nodded. <br/>“That, and they had an informant as to the specifics.” Illyria explained further. <br/>“Who?!” both Angel and Spike exclaimed simultaneously and then quickly stared at one another then returned their attention to Illyria. <br/>“Dracula, he told them of the gate being opened and of a way to close it. They were already formulating a plan on how to get here safely.” Illyria’s tone never shifting. <br/>“Oh of bloody course that over hyped ponce had to swoop in and make himself the center of attention!” Spike shouted as he threw up his arms in frustration. <br/>“Yeah I can’t stand the guy eit……wait……he told them how to close the gate?” Angel stopped his lamenting of Dracula short as he realized the Scoobies now had some information they didn’t. <br/>“Yes, apparently within Wolfram and Heart lies a tome entitled the Claude Ostium that possesses the necessary ritual to shut this gate. They were planning a route from their location to Wolfram and Heart. I said that we would meet them there.” Illyria explained. <br/>“Alright, so we have some sort of plan. Things aren’t looking quite so dreary anymore. Let’s saddle up and get back to the old HQ!’ Spike said hopping to his feet. <br/>“Wait, we still need to find Lorne.” Angel said suddenly remembering, “Illyria can you reach out to him? See if he’s still alive? And if so, where he is?” <br/>“I don’t believe I’ll need to.” Illyria said as she looked passed both Spike and Angel. The two turned as they followed her gaze. <br/>“Never you fret I’m right here with you Angel cakes.” A filthy and haggard looking Lorne had just climbed over the wall to the backyard garden and walked up to join them. <br/>“Lorne!” Angel couldn’t help but exclaim in delight at seeing his friend and counselor. <br/>“Just how in the hell have you survived all this….well, hell?” Spike asked genuinely intrigued. <br/>“Just take a whiff sweetheart, you’ll be able to detect where I’ve been. Not my finest hours, crouching and lurching. Slowly making my way through the sewers.” Lorne replied as he forced a smile. <br/>“Well this has certainly been a shit show.” Spike said smiling, proud of himself. Angel rolled his eyes. Lorne actually groaned. Illyria did not react as per usual. <br/>“Angel cakes please tell me that you still have at least one change of clothes here at the old party house. I am not saving the world if I can’t look my best.” Lorne requested with a plea. <br/>“Yeah, take a quick look around. There could be something for you to change into.” Angel responded with a smile. <br/>A jolt flooded through Illyria as she looked at the fabulous green skinned demon. Memories, though not her own, surged her mind once again. <br/>“Oh Lorne I’m so glad you’re safe!” Illyria exclaimed with a voice that was not her own. She rushed forward and nearly embraced Lorne. She stopped just short of actually hugging him as she squinted her eyes and shook her head. <br/>“Umm, well, I’m happy to see you too oh so great and powerful true demon.” Lorne said with concern and trepidation. “I’ll try to make this quick, Umm Angel why don’t you be a doll and come with? I’m sure you all have some sort of heroic plan by now? Fill me in while I clean up.”<br/>“Yeah, no problem.” Angel said slowly as he followed Lorne inside, stealing one last confused glance at Illyria before shutting the door behind him. <br/>“Was that some actual emotion just then?” Spike asked just as surprised as everyone else. <br/>Illyria did not respond. Her gaze was lowered to the ground, still shaking her head slightly. She eventually began to pace and grip the sides of her head. Spike could then hear the sounds of her muttering. <br/>“Look, love, I know they may be unusual for you, but emotions become quite common the more time you spend here.” Spike tried to reassure this eons old entity. <br/>“Shut up.” Was all Spike could hear Illyria say. <br/>“Hey now I’m just trying to help….” Spike continued his attempts at consoling. <br/>“Shut up, shut up!” though still hushed Illyria’s tone became sharp. <br/>“If we are going to be saving the world you have got to get a handle on whatever this is, and telling me to shut up isn’t going to solve anything!” Spike said as he stood in her path placing his hands on her shoulders. <br/>She looked up to him with a furious grimace etched across her face. Blue tinted tears streamed down her face. She flung Spike’s hands from her body then shoved him. Spike was sent flying backwards several feet before hitting the ground with a roll and landing in a seated position. <br/>“I wasn’t talking to you!” Illyria shouted before turning and running out of the garden. She did not take the time to open the back gate, no she ran straight through it as if it wasn’t there. The gate easily came off of it’s hinges and shattered into several pieces that were sent flying in several different directions. <br/>“Wasn’t talking to me?” Spike repeated confused as he groaned and made his way back to his feet. <br/>Angel led Lorne back to his old room and indeed did find a few more pairs of clothing. He turned his back to Lorne who immediately began stripping of his sewer contaminated clothes. <br/>“I’ve never seen Illyria react to anything, let alone with actual glee.” Angel said.<br/>“Oh honey, didn’t you hear the voice?” Lorne replied. <br/>“Yeah, it sounded different, but she can do that. She can make herself look and sound like anyone.” Angel said still unsure. <br/>“That was Fred’s voice, babe.” Lorne said as he fastened a belt through the loops of Angel’s pants. <br/>“Wait, I thought it sounded familiar. Are you sure that was actually Fred’s voice?” Angel asked. <br/>“As sure as all of your clothing is black. Also, I felt Fred for a moment there. Just a little glimpse, but she was there. It was like Fred’s consciousness poked mine for a brief second.” Lorne continued to elaborate. <br/>“Any idea what that means?” Angel asked as the two now made their way out of his old room and back towards the garden. <br/>“I can’t know for sure, but it felt like our sweetie is still in there somewhere.” Lorne said wrapping one arm around Angle’s shoulders as they walked. “I couldn’t help but notice yours and Spike’s emotional readings. And the freshly dug grave. I take it Gunn didn’t make it?”<br/>Angel stopped to face Lorne. He couldn’t quite bring himself to look him in the eyes. Angel simply nodded. <br/>“There you go again.” Lorne said gently placing a hand on the side of Angel’s face. <br/>“What do you mean?” Angel asked quizzically. <br/>“You’re blaming yourself, Broody McBroodypants!” Lorne explained with a smile. <br/>“I led him into this life, Lorne.” Angel said looking down and wanting to turn away. <br/>“And it was his choice to follow you, every single dread filled step of the way. You cannot continue to blame yourself for the good people you surround yourself with. Face it Angel cakes, you attract heroes. And as you know by now there is only one ending for a hero, the endings just happen at different times.” Lorne said with his pleasant voice. <br/>“Yeah,” Angel looked back up to make eye contact with his counselor, “You’re right, Lorne.” <br/>“I know I’m right. Now put on your bravest warrior face cause we have an apocalypse to stop.” <br/>The two turned to head back out the back door but were met with an exasperated Spike who flung the doors open and nearly ran into them before stopping. <br/>“Illyria, she just ran off!” Spike shouted obviously frustrated. <br/>“What?” Angel asked incredulously. <br/>“Exactly what I just said, Illyria ran off. She was a mess. Just pacing back and forth muttering to herself. I tried calming her down. She kept saying to shut up. Then she flung me back on my ass and said she wasn’t telling me to shut up! I was the only one there!” Spike explained in hurry. <br/>“You were the only one there physically.” Lorne replied. <br/>“What’s that now?” Spike asked perplexed. <br/>“Lorne fully believes that Fred is still in Illyria. Hence her reaction when she saw Lorne.” Angel explained. <br/>“That’s right, now we’ve got to find our split personality god status ally before she runs off and does something regrettable.” Lorne said with unwavering confidence. <br/>The three ran out the back. Following the destroyed gate. Lorne began tracking Illyria’s emotional patterns, just the same as he did with Angel to reunite with them in the first place. As he tapped into Illyria’s emotions, he could feel it though it was faint. Fred was present.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 6<br/>It took Dawn all of four and a half minutes to print out a map of Los Angeles. Most of that time was consumed by the printing process itself. When the ink covered piece of paper was finally done sliding ever so painstakingly slowly out of the printer she snatched it up with the strangest combination of enthusiasm and impatience. She ran back downstairs to rejoin the others, taking the steps two at a time so it would take even more time off of her total time spent on the task. <br/>“We either desperately need a new computer or a new printer. Honestly, getting new of both wouldn’t be such a bad idea.” She said to the group had gathered around someone in the living room. Dawn had been ignored in favor of whatever was going on. “Ummm hello? Anyone? We can start planning now!” <br/>“Come on, Willow! Snap out of it!” Xander cried out from the center of the group. <br/>“Giles? Can you tell what’s going on with her?” Kennedy asked with a tinge of worry and anxiety. <br/>“It appears she’s in a trance, communicating with someone across a great distance.” Giles explained to the best of his ability. <br/>Dawn approached the back of the group and stood on her tip toes to peer over the crowd. In the center stood Willow, eyes shut, hand clasped on either side of her face, and her lips rapidly forming silent words. Xander stood to her right, hand upon her shoulder. Kennedy stood to her left, arms wrapped around her waist. The rest had filed in closely in anticipation of needing to move her or prevent her from falling. <br/>“Is she in pain? How can we help?” Kennedy continued to nervously ask Giles but kept her gaze locked on Willow. <br/>“Its hard to tell whether or not she’s suffering from this. If she is, it’s quite subtle. Also it’s dangerous to attempt to pry her from magical communication. It could in fact-“ Giles cut himself off as everyone saw Willow’s eyes open. <br/>Her hands gently fell from clasping the sides of her head. She placed one hand on Xanders’ and smiled at him. The other wrapped around Kennedy, returning her embrace. Her eyes widened when she noticed everyone else crowding around her. <br/>“Uh hey everyone….is everything alright?” she asked taking a moment to look at each of them briefly before ultimately locking eyes with Giles. <br/>“We don’t know, you tell us. You’re the one that zoned out there for minute.” Rona responded while simultaneously backing away, giving Willow some space. Everyone else picked up on this and backed away also, save for Xander and Kennedy. <br/>“Who was speaking with you, Willow?” Giles asked as he cleaned his glasses reflexively. <br/>“Someone named Illyria? She said she was teamed up with Angel and his crew. They’re still in LA! And safe! Or, well, ya know, as safe as one can be considered in the epicenter of the apocalypse.” Willow said with glee. <br/>“Hey Angel’s safe! So we can meet up with his team when we get there.” Dawn said as the group had turned to her for the first time since she came back downstairs. “Yeah everyone, I got the map by the way.” <br/>“Excellent,” Giles began “Dawn thank you, no please lay that out on the table and let’s locate Wolfram and Heart so we can plot the most optimal route. Did you by chance fill this, Illyria was it? Did you fill her in on our very loose pretense of a plan?” <br/>Dawn set out the map on the table as Violet, Rona, and Amanda cleared it of cups and plates that needed to be taken to the sink. She flattened out the map and sat down beginning to scan it over. Andrew took a seat next to Dawn and joined her in the search. None of the Slayers actually started washing the dishes they had carried to the sink. Instead they simply placed them on the ever growing pile of dirty dishes. <br/>“Oh come on! I can’t be the only one here capable of scrubbing.” Xander began his complaint as he marched passed the Slayers and into the kitchen where he started washing the dishes while grumbling to himself. <br/>“Yes! I told her about the book that can close the hell portal being at Wolfram and Heart, and that we would meet them there. She also mentioned that they were down a couple of members. Giles I’m sorry, but Wesley…” she couldn’t quite bring herself to finish the sentence. She broke eye contact with Giles and buried her face into Kennedy’s chest. <br/> “Oh dear lord.” Was all Giles was able to say. He placed his hands on his hips and took a moment to remember the former Watcher. Though they never saw eye to eye on things, he was still a fellow crusader fending off the demons and vampires as well as he could. Giles couldn’t help but feel for the poor young man, snuffed out well before his time. <br/>“Who is Wesley?” Kennedy asked looking to the other Slayers first. <br/>They each exchanged confused questioning expressions while waiting for Giles to inform them. <br/>“He is….was….a former Watcher. Same as me. Though a couple decades younger. An injustice, to say the least, that his life was robbed of him.” Giles explained while walking to the nearby window and staring outside, seemingly at nothing. “Forgive me everyone, I need a moment.” Giles said as he made his out the front door slamming it behind him. <br/>Kennedy took Willow upstairs to their bedroom to console her as well as she could. <br/>“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Giles emote that much.” Violet said quietly. <br/>“No, me either. Gosh it’s so sad, I can’t imagine how close they must have been.” Amanda said. <br/>“They weren’t close.” Xander said with his back to them hands still plunged within the hot soapy waters while scrubbing away. <br/>“Wait, they weren’t?” Rona asked incredulously “Then why did it hit him so hard?” <br/>“Because they’re cut from the same cloth. Both stuffy, British evil slaying Watchers. Despite their disagreements, Giles had to have seen a lot of himself in Wesley. Wesley could have been his son, you know, emotionally, all things considered.” Xander explained. <br/>“That’s tough and all, but with a horde of demons about to tear their way out of LA and into the rest of California, now’s not the greatest time to grieve.” Rona said stiffly. <br/>“Actually, it’s the best time.” Xander retorted, still facing away. <br/>“Excuse me?” Rona began “We need to take care of those shit heads before there are too many of them. We need to plan and attack. He can grieve afterwards. Same goes for Willow.” <br/>“Lets just say we did that, exactly that, and went straight into our planning phase then right into our attack phase. We march right into LA, right up to the front steps of Wolfram and Heart. We get Willow to that book, she starts that ritual. Then, mid ritual, Giles starts to get distracted with thoughts of his dead former ally. That equals a dead Giles.” Xanders’ tone was escalating in volume with each sentence. <br/>“Hey, I thought all of you were already experienced with this stuff. I thought all of you had already lost people before and still had to fight. Seriously, those two need to get their shit together.” Rona continued as she stepped right up next to Xander staring at him. <br/>“Or, it could be Willow.” Xander said his eyes staying focused on cleaning the dishes. <br/>“What? Dude are you even listening to me?” Rona asked confused and angry. <br/>“It could be Willow that gets distracted thinking about Wesley. That equals the ritual not being completed before the horde overwhelms us. This is PRECISELY when they need to grieve, now, BEFORE we go storming into the abyss !” Xander was shouting at this point, though he kept his face forward on the sink. <br/>“Guys, I don’t think this is the time to argue with each other.” Violet said sheepishly, her voice barely above a whisper. <br/>“Violets right,” began Amanda “we really all just need to take a breath and try to relax.”<br/>Dawn and Andrew exchanged glances of concern, but then returned their focus to the map trying to find exactly where the law firm headquarters stood. <br/>“Relax?! How can any of us relax after what Dracula just told us?! No! Now is the time for action! We can relax after we’ve closed up the gate and saved the damn world. But no, Xander keeps insisting that it’s perfectly okay for Giles and Willow to take their time now rather than later. Well if they need time so badly, then why don’t you? Hmm? When are you going to grieve?!” Rona was frantic with her gesturing looking back and forth from the two other nearby Slayers and Xander. <br/>“WHAT DO YOU THINK IM DOING?!” Xander roared back at her, finally turning to face her. She could see tears flowing down his one eye. The glass within his grasp shattered as he shouted causing everyone to turn their heads towards him immediately. Drop. Drop. A few drops of blood fell from his hand along with the broken glass that now rained down to the kitchen floor. <br/>“Xander your hand…” was all Rona could say as she took a step back from him. <br/>“Woah! Are you okay?” Andrew asked as he stood from his spot on the couch. <br/>Dawn immediately ran to the nearest bathroom and brought back out a first aid kit. She began carefully picking the pieces of glass out of Xanders’ hand, which he simply held out for her. Amanda and Violet cautiously made their way into the kitchen and knelt to begin cleaning up the glass and blood. Rona couldn’t break eye contact with Xander. <br/>“Okay man, you’re right. We can’t risk anyone losing their heads while we’re in the flames. Best to take a moment now.” Rona said calmly before turning and walking out the kitchen then through living room and ultimately the front door.<br/>“Hey, we’ll be okay. You know that right?” Dawn asked as she started disinfecting Xanders’ hand. <br/>“Sometimes, sometimes I know that we can take on anything. But when someone questions our methods in such a harsh way, I don’t know, I guess that’s when I get rattled.” Xander said quietly as he looked to Dawn who was now bandaging up his wounds. </p><p>“I hate it when people fight, especially right after a loss. It’s the ickiest feeling.” Willow said curled up on their bed as Kennedy cuddled her. Kennedy ran her fingers through Willow’s hair continually in a slow manner. <br/>“Things went quiet after the glass broke. I think things are okay now.” Kennedy whispered right into Willow’s ear. <br/>That close of a whisper always manages to tickle her, and break her thoughts away from the bad things that surround them. It was a tactic Kennedy had adopted to lighten the mood and make Willow smile. She loved it when Willow smiled. It was a smile that could brighten any room. <br/>“Heyyyyyyyy no fair, I’m in no mood to tickle back.” Willow whispered with a giggle. <br/>“Whoever said I played fair?” Kennedy replied with that smug grin she had perfected in her short life. She leaned to kiss Willow. Their lips embraced welcoming one another. The tactic worked every time. </p><p>The front door opening and shutting abruptly broke Giles from his near trance like state. He was standing in the front yard staring off into the stars, overcome with thoughts of what could have been. He turned with a startle to see Rona who stopped in her tracks eyes widening for a moment as if she had forgotten Giles was already out here. <br/>“Oh sorry.” She said awkwardly before turning to her left and beginning to go around the house to the backyard. <br/>“Its perfectly alright. Are you okay?” Giles called out to her causing her to stop. <br/>Rona was not certain how to answer that. Was she okay? It did not feel like it was all that like ago that she had just been called as a potential Slayer. Then forced to team with several other teenage girls, each riddled with their own idiosyncrasies. Then as a newly formed team they were tasked with assisting in foiling the plots of none other than The First. Now, they have an all new world ending threat to address, and she had just caused Xander to snap. She finally turned and looked up at Giles who was waiting patiently. Dealing with destined, angst filled teenage girls was something he had apparently grown quite proficient in. <br/>“Yeah, I mean, no…” Rona began but hesitated trying to comprise her thoughts “its all just a lot. It doesn’t seem like it’s ever gonna end.” <br/>A smile etched across Giles face and he walked up to her. <br/>“No it never does. It’s the calling of a Slayer. At one time there was only ever the one, and I’d feel compelled to tell you it’s your duty to see this struggle through. But, ever since Willow awakened all the potential Slayers, I cannot in good conscience place that burden on you. If ever this is too much, please, feel free to forge a new life for yourself however you need to.” Giles words were uttered with all the wisdom and calm temperament that Rona had come to expect from him in her time spent with the Scoobies. <br/>“Really? I can just bail and go have a normal life? Anytime I want?” Rona asked as she crossed her arms. <br/>“Of course you can.” Giles said placing a hand upon her shoulder briefly before her turned from her and began to walk back up the steps into the house. <br/>“If that’s true for me, then it’s true for you too. Why haven’t you retired from all of this since all us Slayers exist now?” Rona asked as Giles was halfway up the porch steps. <br/>Giles stopped in his tracks. He was forced to ponder the inquiry. It was a valid question. He turned back to face Rona once again. <br/>“That’s a fair question. I suppose it’s just the only life I know. The only career in which I’ve attained success. Or maybe I feel that everyone needs me present for the guidance I provide. Or maybe the thought of pursuing a mundane career in a less danger ridden life frightens me.” Giles let out a chuckle. “How silly is that?” He sat down on the second step and looked back up towards the stars. “Why didn’t you retire from all of this, Wesley?” <br/>Rona was uncomfortable. She had never seen this exposed side of Giles before. He was always stalwart and strident. The news of the death of a fellow, younger, Watcher had obviously stricken him deep to his core. She walked up and sat beside him. <br/>“So we’ll see this one last mission through, then maybe we should both think about what we’re doing with our lives. Sound good?” She said gently bumping her shoulder into his and looking up at him with a smirk. <br/>“Sounds good, yes.” Giles couldn’t help but chuckle. <br/>After a short time they stood to return to the living room. Much planning and preparation needed to be made, and one more Slayer needed to be contacted.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 7 <br/>Lorne's lungs burned. As did his quadriceps. Not from the smoke that seemingly billowed out of every other building they passed by. No, he was simply not used to this much running. He began to fall behind the two strapping vampire companions, who honestly did not stand the chance of catching up with Illyria. They were hoping she would eventually need to stop. Hoping. <br/>“Come on! We need you if we’re ever gonna actually find her in this labyrinth of a city.” Spike shouted back to Lorne, noticing he had started to fall several paces behind. <br/>“Oh…sure….yeah…..I’m with ya……babes….not…..about….to….fall over….at all!” Heavy breathes punctuated each set of labored words Lorne responded with. <br/>Angel stopped immediately causing Spike to do the same. <br/>“Oi! What are we doing? She’s gonna get away!” Spike threw up his arms in frustration. <br/>“As you said, we need Lorne if we ever hope to track her down. And if we keep up at this pace he is going to collapse.” Angel said while looking at Lorne, the concern fully displayed across his face. <br/>“Damn it! I hate it when you’re right, but you’re right.” Spike folded his arms as they waited for Lorne to catch up and catch his breath. <br/>Lorne made it back up to the other two vampires and bent over slightly, placing his hands on his thighs. He fought so hard to get a hold of his breathing. It was going to take a moment. Breath control when it came to singing was something he had mastered, but this level of physical exertion was only fun in certain circumstances. <br/>“Sorry Spikey poo sor-“ Lorne began.<br/>“Spikey poo?” Spike asked incredulous of his nickname. <br/>“Sorry Angel cakes, I’m just not the same caliber of stallion that you two so obviously are.” Lorne was finally feeling the pain within his chest subside. <br/>“Its okay, Lorne. We’ll find her. Then we’ll do our best to calmly explain that Fred is still somewhere buried within her consciousness.” Angel said while looking around, hoping to somehow spot her within the nearby vicinity. <br/>“Oh sweetheart, she knows. There’s no doubt that she can feel Fred in there. Hence the fleeing in the first place.” Lorne explained as he stood back up to full height. <br/>“Why the hell would she run off? Why didn’t she just ask you, our resident psychic, for help?” Spike asked as he took out a cigarette and lit it. <br/>“Well having more than one mind bouncing around in your head doesn’t exactly equate to making the best decisions. She’s scared, honey. And being the deity she is, I’ll bet it’s the first time she’s ever felt fear.” Lorne once more explained, proving his deep understanding of the psyche.<br/>“Can you still feel her?” Angel asked as he continued looking around the nearby alley ways and buildings. <br/>“I can, but it’s faint, and growing fainter. She’s still moving. Goodness, I’m not sure how we’ll ever....oh….she’s stopped.” Lorne looked in the direction he could sense her and Fred's mental signature. <br/>Spike and Angel exchanged surprised glances. <br/>“Well, what are we waiting for?!” Spike shouted as he threw down his cigarette and charged in that direction. <br/>“Forgive me Lorne, but we have to keep moving.” Angel said. <br/>“Forgive you for wha-“ Lorne's question was cut short as the strong broody vampire lifted Lorne over his shoulder and began running once more. <br/>“Oh my, I bet I’m the envy of all the damsels right now.” Lorne couldn’t help himself. <br/>They continued their charge, now at a near nonstop pace. Occasionally they would have to stop and duck behind a wall or a fence to hide from a sweeping horde of demons. They couldn’t risk wasting any time. Who knows how long Illyria was going to stay put? Who knows why she decided to stop in the first place? They only knew it could be their one opportunity to catch up with her. Their one opportunity to calm her down. Their one opportunity to help her.<br/>With Lorne secure in Angel’s grasp, it only took them another fifteen minutes to catch up with Illyria. She had found an abandoned church of all places to stop in. They could see her through the windows. She was slowly pacing up and down the aisle. Occasionally rubbing her hands along the pews. Occasionally stopping in place to clutch the sides of her head. <br/>“Okay, so how do we go about this?” Spike asked the other two in a hushed tone.<br/>Angel gently set Lorne down on his feet. <br/>“Oh Angel cakes you coulda kept me in those arms. Trust me, I did not mind.” Lorne said with a smirk. <br/>“We can’t risk just barging in there, she would run off again. We have to handle this as delicately as possible.” Angel said largely ignoring the flirtation. <br/>“Well, maybe one of you should go around back. Be in place to cut her off in case she does try to run.” Lorne offered. <br/>“Right, I’ll do it. Not sure I can keep hold her, but maybe I can slow her down for long enough for one of you to get through to her.” Spike nodded and rounded the church getting into position. <br/>“Is there any way you can reach out to her? You know, psychically? I’m worried that even if I approach her as gently as possible she’s just going to run.” Angel asked Lorne as he kept his eyes on Illyria through the window. <br/>“Hmm, I can try. But my powers don’t really work that way. I’m really only able to feel what everyone else is feeling.” Lorne responded as he looked around their surroundings making sure no demons were creeping up behind them.<br/>“Well, what is she feeling now?” Angel asked as he turned to face Lorne. <br/>Lorne turned his attention to the windows and stared in at Illyria and her pacing. He focused as best he could. Searching. Scanning. He knew this was made more difficult by a couple of factors. One, she was not singing. Lorne’s psychic scanning was always most optimal when the person was belting out notes, letting down some of their wall as they lost themselves in the song. And two, there was more than one set of thoughts within her head. It was tricky to get an idea of what Illyria was feeling. But one emotion did bubble it’s way to the surface and into Lorne’s perception. <br/>“She’s afraid. Poor thing. She’s confused and afraid.” Lorne said with a forlorn expression forming across his face. <br/>“So how do you suppose we handle her?” Angel asked. <br/>“Honestly? If the world wasn’t ripped open and all these demons threatening our existence, I’d say give her some time. She obviously wants to be alone to deal with her uncertainty. But, given the circumstances, we don’t have the time to give her. So, I say, you open that door as carefully and slowly as you can. Go in, hands up showing you aren’t a threat. And just try to talk to her. That face of yours should eventually do the trick.” Lorne said turning and smiling at Angel. <br/>“Okay, let’s hope this works. We need her to have any hope of…..to have any hope.” Angel paused, nodded at Lorne, then began gently turning the knob to the door of the church. <br/>As he slowly opened the door, it let out a subtle creak. Illyria had immediately halted her pacing and whirled around to face the door. She took up a defensive stance, expecting some demon or another to come in looking to desecrate this sanctum. Instead it was an Angel. She only slightly eased up on her stance. Illyria watched him cautiously enter the church, leaving the door open behind him, and raising both of his hands. He looked to her with a calm expression and slowly took steps to close the gap. Illyria took a step backwards once he reached the first set of pews. As soon as she backed up, he stopped moving. <br/>“Illyria, what’s going on? It’s me, Angel.” Angel asked in a steady and even voice. <br/>“I…..I know it’s you. I’m….having…..some trouble.” Illyria seemingly couldn’t maintain eye contact with Angel. Her eyes darted off in all directions as she spoke. <br/>“What kind of trouble? Maybe we can help.” Angel took a slow step forward. Illyria either didn’t notice or didn’t mind because she stayed still. <br/>“Some…..trouble…….trouble with this host. It seems…..seems to be rejecting me. It…..it talks to me.” Illyria placed her hands on both sides of her, Fred’s, face and squinted her eyes. She looked as if she was in pain. <br/>“Winifred is talking to you? What’s she saying?” Angel asked as he took another slow step forward. Illyria’s, Fred’s, eyes shot up noting Angel’s movement and she took several steps back. <br/>“Stay back!” Illyria shouted and it echoed throughout the church’s interior. <br/>“Okay, no problem. I can stand right here. But I’m here to help, you know that right?” Angel said trying to keep eye contact with her, Fred’s, wandering gaze. <br/>“She…….it…..wants to speak to you…..it wants to say 'Hello'.” Illyria said, most of it with her voice and her currently crazed demeanor, though when she said hello she used Fred’s voice and stared right at Angel bright eyed and smiled widely. <br/>This took Angel by surprise. He couldn’t keep his lips from parting. He couldn’t keep his eyes from widening. <br/>“Fred? Is that you?” Angel’s voice rose in volume slightly in his surprise. He took another step forward. <br/>“Angel! Yes it’s me and I’ve…” she clutched the sides of her head again and took several steps back. Eventually backing into the podium and tipping it over. “No! I said stay back! This is my host! I’m in control here. Not you!” <br/>Angel once again stayed in his position and kept his hands raised up, palms facing forward, attempting to not look like a threat. <br/>“Okay, Illyria, you’re the one in control. That’s fine. But maybe if you just relaxed a little bit, maybe you could work with Fred.” Angel continued to try and maintain eye contact with Illyria to no avail. <br/>“Work with my host? Don’t you dare insult me! This is my shell now, and she….I MEAN IT…..should no longer exist.” Illyria began pacing in the space perpendicular to the front row pews. <br/>“Illyria, please stop and look at me. If you settle down maybe we can help you. Maybe we can draw Fred out of there. Or maybe we can find you a new host.” Angel began mirroring Illyria’s pacing, keeping in rhythm with her. <br/>Illyria stopped her pacing and faced Angel. With Fred’s face she wore a wide eyed and anguished expression. Her lips were quivering. Her hair had begun to fray and tangle from her constant gripping. She was a mess. <br/>“She….IT…..makes it impossible to SETTLE DOWN! It won’t shut up. It won’t keep informing me of it’s previous ownership of this vessel. It keeps claiming that I’ve stolen this shell and that it’s not right. That I should give it back. How does it still exist? How can’t it wrest control away from me? Even temporarily?” Illyria’s cadence was rapid. She had never spoken to anyone like this. She had never felt like this. <br/>“Wait, you’re saying that Fred can take back control? Is that what happened just a minute ago?” Angle asked in bewilderment. <br/>Illyria’s, Fred’s, face contorted into pure rage as she slammed her fists into the pews she was standing in front of. The force of her, Fred’s, fists shattered the pew into a few pieces. Angel took a couple steps back keeping his hands raised. Illyria grabbed one of the broken pew pieces and hurled it Angel. He ducked in time for the piece to soar over his head and crash through the stained glass window behind him. On the outside Lorne had to turn away from the window as a spray of broken glass shards threatened to carve into him. Around the other side Spike heard this commotion and with an eye roll he flicked yet another unfinished cigarette to the ground and burst in through the backdoor. <br/>Illyria turned, her heightened senses hearing the encroaching vampire. She grabbed a hold of him by the throat and lifted him several feet up off the floor. <br/>“Hey!..... we’re…just….trying to help!” Spike said through gritted teeth and choked words as Illyria’s grip was clasped around his neck. <br/>Illyria turned in time to see Angel charging up through the aisle at her. She hurled Spike into Angel, causing the two to collide and tumble backwards away from her in a heap. In a fit of rage she lifted an in tact pew over her head, waited for the two vampires to make it to their feet, and hurled it at them. The pew smashed into both Angel and Spike’s chest. The force at which Illyria chucked it caused them to land on their backs as the pew landed on top of them. She used this moment to begin to run, but something stopped her. Fred was attempting to seize control.<br/>Lorne worked up his courage and came in to see the scene. He looked down at Angel and Spike, then back up to Illyria. She was grimacing in mental anguish. She looked up to see Lorne had made his way inside and began marching up to him. Lorne saw that Angel and Spike were about to bolt upright, but he had an idea. <br/>“Stay down you two!” Lorne shouted at them. They looked up at him surprised as he tilted his head back and let out an ear piercing wail. <br/>The violently high pitch of his voice caused Illyria, Spike, and Angle to halt and grab at their ears. It also caused all of the stand glass windows to shatter outwards. He kept the wail going and began to step forward towards Illyria as he did so. She kept her hands on her ears and even took a knee. The pain from this sonic assault combined with Fred’s mental assault was seemingly rendering her incapacitated. Once Lorne was right in front of Illyria the volume was so intense at that proximity, she had no choice but to curl up on the floor clutching her head. Lorne circled around her until he was behind her curled form. He looked up, but kept his mouth lowered so the aim was still focused on Illyria, he could see Spike and Angel scurrying out from beneath the pew also clutching their ears. Blood began to trickle down the sides of their faces. Seeing the damage this shriek was causing Angel and Spike he immediately stopped. <br/>“Quick! Come grab her!” Lorne shouted as he backed away from Illyria’s subdued form.<br/>Spike and Angel rushed up and wrapped their hands around both of Illyria’s arms and hoisted her up to her feet. Using all of their combined strength they attempted to hold her in place. Though they could feel her beginning to struggle against their trip. They knew they couldn’t hope to keep her held. <br/>“Okay so now what?!” Spike shouted as he looked to Lorne and then back to Angel. <br/>Angel’s eyes darted back and forth trying to come up with some solution to keep her from running. His eyes widened as the spark of an idea shot across his mind. In that moment his face wrinkled and contorted into the vampire face as the fangs shot out. He sank his teeth into the side of Illyria’s, Fred’s, neck and began to draw the blood out of her. Angel had never tasted blood so intoxicating. Illyria’s divine nectar shot into Angel’s mouth and began to coarse through him. Spike’s eyes widened at the sight but he didn’t hesitate, he followed suite. As it turns out the blood of a deity trump’s the taste of the blood of a Slayer, hands down. <br/>And within seconds, both vampires had drained enough of Illyria’s blood to plunge her into unconsciousness. They gently set her head down and looked at each other stunned. Her blood coursed through them and they felt this surge of strength and energy. <br/>“That’s it! I’m switching to nothing but god blood from now on!” Spike shouted as he smiled with pure glee. <br/>“It’s…..it’s absolutely incredible. There aren’t words to describe how this feels.” Angel said as he wiped his face clean. <br/>“Well that’s great and all, seriously, glad you two are feeling so swell, but what do we do now? She’s out, but what do we do when she recovers?” Lorne as stepping up to Illyria. He knelt down to her unconscious body and began running his fingers through her hair, fixing it, and wiping it out of her face. <br/>“We keep an eye on her, then drink again to keep her knocked out.” Spike said simply as he began to light up another cigarette, hoping to finish this one. <br/>“Then what? We just keep doing that?” Lorne asked as he looked up from his crouched position. <br/>“We keep doing that until we find a way to help her. As of right now it’s all we have.” Angel said. <br/>With Illyria subdued, the trio hoisted her up and continued on their march towards Wolfram and Heart. Hoping that Willow and the others would arrive shortly thereafter. Hoping that they were within hours of sealing off this portal to hell. Hope was all they had.</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 8 <br/>The map of Los Angeles lay spread out on the living room table. The group reconvened shortly after working through their emotions concerning Wesley’s demise. Giles looked the entire map over, attempting to plot the most prime path. Andrew and Dawn had already pointed out where Wolfram and Hearts headquarters rested. Now all they needed was to plot a route that would be the fastest yet safest. Safe was probably inconceivable considering how many demons were swarming over the city. <br/>“We’ll be approaching Los Angeles from the North, so there’s really no sense in trying to circle around and enter from another direction. I believe if we stay on this course we can reach the law firm within an hour of arriving.” Giles said tracing a path with his finger. <br/>“Wait, it’s gonna take an hour to get there? We’re gonna have to fight through wave after wave of those demons for an hour before we get to the building?” Andrew asked nervously, his voice breaking as he did so. <br/>“It’s a big city. We’re lucky that it’s only going to take us an hour. It could very easily take much longer than that given how hellish the traffic could be.” Xander said with a smirk and placed a hand on Andrew’s shoulder. <br/>Andrew couldn’t help but dart his eyes over to Xanders’ hand. A warmth over took him. How was Xander so skilled at being the voice of reason? <br/>The phone rang causing everyone in the room to shoot their attention in it’s direction. Dawn sprang to her feet, and in a series of rushed foot falls she made it to the phone right after the second ring. <br/>“Hello? Woah! Your timing is perfect! A lot is going on. Have you heard anything? Okay well I think Giles was wanting to pick you up, he can fill you in on the ride over. Okay, you have to tell me everything about your trip. Yes you do! Okay fine, I’ll settle for a little bit of info. Anyways yeah, he’ll be on his way. Yeah yeah, I love you too. Bye!” Dawn hung up and looked directly at Giles. “Buffy just landed and needs a lift from the airport.” <br/>“Then it’s best that I get going.” Giles stood and made his way out the front door. As he opened it a small form darted it’s way inside causing him shift back in sudden surprise. <br/>“Hey! You came back!” Amanda shouted as she rushed forward to pick her still unnamed kitten.<br/>“Oh wow I thought Dracula had scared him off for good.” Violet chirped as she joined Amanda in giving the kitten some much needed affection. <br/>“Best to leave some food and water out for him if you intend to keep him. All of you please be ready to leave as soon as we return. Buffy will be filled in as to everything that’s going on.” Giles said as he shut the door behind him. <br/>“Are you going to keep the lil dude?” Willow asked as she headed into the kitchen to get out a food bowl and a water bowl for him. <br/>“Yeah, I think so. I just have no clue what to name him still. I stopped thinking of names when he ran off because I didn’t think he’d be coming back.” Amanda said as she continued to shower the purr machine in pettings. <br/>“Well, you heard the chief, let’s get our shit together. We got another apocalypse to stop.” Rona said as she started to gather up all of the weapons and supplies. <br/>“Right, I’ll open up the van and make sure there’s room for everyone.” Andrew announced. He stole another glance back at Xander before heading out. He just couldn’t help but be comforted knowing he was there. <br/>“It’ll be nice to have the Buffster back in action with us. Seems like it’s been forever since we were last fighting for our lives with her snide commentary on how the vampires looked.” Xander said, watching Andrew as he walked out. <br/>“Yeah, I miss her. You and Andrew sure have hit it off lately.” Willow said with a smirk as she re entered the living room. <br/>“He’s a good guy. We have common ground with our love of comic books and such. What’s that smirk for?” Xander asked incredulously as he playfully nudged her shoulder. <br/>“Oh no reason.” Willow sang as she leaned into Kennedy for a kiss before assisting Rona with the packing. </p><p>Giles arrived at the airport roughly twenty minutes after Buffy’s call. He watched her notice him pulling up into the parking lot. She practically jogged out with all of her bags, seemingly delighted to see him. She started filling up the trunk and backseat of Giles' car with her bags, then hopped into the seat next to him. <br/>“Giles! How has everything been? It feels like it’s been forever. Funny how a couple months of down time can seem like so long.” Buffy said excitedly as they began to pull out of the parking lot. <br/>“Well, when you’re used to non stop patrols and slaying a couple months of relaxation is a quit a while.” Giles said with a smile keeping his eyes on the road. <br/>“I think I needed it. Ya know? I haven’t slept that good since before I started slaying. And now I’m all well rested and bright eyed and bushy tailed.” <br/>“That is excellent, Buffy. You had more than earned that rest. I truly mean that. But, as you heard Dawn elude to, there is a matter you will need to assist us with.”<br/>“And I don’t suppose you would even be mentioning this if it was something as simple as planning a birthday party for Xander, right?” <br/>“No, unfortunately there’s a hell portal open in Los Angeles. Angel needs our help in closing it.”<br/>“Well, what would my life be without a world ending threat to truly signify the end of my vacation?” <br/>Buffy and Giles shared a laugh. Then with the rest of the drive home Giles did his due diligence to inform Buffy on the specifics of the plan. Driving into Los Angeles, meeting up with Angel and his crew, finding this mystical tome, then protecting Willow as she performed the ritual. All par for the course to Buffy. Despite having to hurl herself back into the line of duty, she was happy to be back. She was happy to see the spectacled face of her father figure. All she wanted to do is hear Xander make a sarcastic remark, and hear Willow spout off factoids about various magical incantations. It didn’t matter what danger had to come along with it. <br/>When Giles and Buffy pulled up into the new home base driveway they could see the gang piling in boxes and bags full of weapons and vials of holy water. Andrew stood near the back doors of the van gesturing a to where the supplies should be set. Only occasionally did he receive a death stare from one of the Slayers, who of course, were doing all the heavy lifting. <br/>“Buffy!” Dawn shouted and rushed into to wrap her arms around her sister as soon as she stepped out of Giles’ car. <br/>“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forgive those monks for making you taller than me.” Buffy said playfully as she returned Dawn’s hug. <br/>“Oh come on! I needed something. It’s the one thing I got over you.” Dawn said with a giggle. <br/>“There’s a hug tax in place now that you’ve been gone for so long. Time to seize your assets.” Xander said as he swooped in to hug Buffy as soon as Dawn released her. <br/>“Yep, there’s all sorts of penalties and stipends.” Willow chirped as she joined the hug. The original three scoobies stood reunited. Giles took a moment to appreciate this image. He had no idea if he would ever get to see it again with what they were about to march into. <br/>Buffy took a few minutes to bring all of her bags into the house then say hello to Andrew, Rona, Kennedy, Vi, and Amanda. <br/>“Giles got me all up to speed, and it doesn’t sound like we have much time to spare. Sounds just like Dracula to give you a speech on what was going on but not actually stick around to help.” Buffy said as everyone piled into Andrew’s van. <br/>“That guy was the epitome of creepy. I couldn’t stand being around him, and neither could this guy! Buffy, meet our newest recruit Kitty Fantastico the Second. And yes I asked Willow for her approval.” Amanda said as she held up the kitten. <br/>“Oh well, yeah he’s adorable and all, but we’re heading into an inferno. I don’t exactly see this as being the safest place for the lil guy.” Buffy said as she gently pet the kitten behind his ears. <br/>“You brought him with? Amanda, this kitten absolutely will not be safe and will absolutely be a liability on this mission.” Giles said turning his head back from his passenger seat to give his classic disapproving look. <br/>“He wouldn’t stay put! He kept following me!” Amanda shouted in defense of her actions. <br/>“Well it’s too late now, she can’t exactly hurl the little guy out of the window.” Xander said as he interlaced his fingers behind his head with a smirk. <br/>“If she did I think we’d have to hurl her out for being pure evil.” Rona said with a chuckle. <br/>“No one’s hurling anyone! We have got to focus! Los Angeles is burning down and we’re it’s only hope. Right Buffy?” Kennedy snapped at the others and looked to Buffy for approval. <br/>“You’re not wrong. But let them have their laughs now while they can. We have a ways til we get to LA.” Buffy replied as she looked Kennedy up and down before giving Willow a concerned look. <br/>“Kennedy has sort of asserted herself as the unofficial leader since you’ve been gone.” Willow hastily explained. <br/>“Unofficial my ass. She doesn’t listen to single thing anyone else has to say.” Rona said with a laugh. <br/>“Well, I would if anyone had anything worth while to say.” Kennedy snapped with a huff and turned her head to look out the window. <br/>“Excuse me? You’re not the only one here capable of coming up with a plan.” Rona said sternly. <br/>“Maybe it’s best if we all just took a breath and calm down.” Violet said in what amounted to a whisper.<br/>“I’m the only one here capable of coming up with a plan that works!” Kennedy shouted back at Rona. <br/>“It’s really hard for me to drive with all this tension.” Andrew announced as the van swerved slightly. <br/>“Okay, that’s quite enough out of the two of you. We have our plan in place and it will never work with us fighting amongst ourselves. Understood?” Giles said putting an end to the escalading argument.<br/>“Yeah yeah, you’re right.” Rona said as she crossed her arms. <br/>“Whatever.” Was all that Kennedy let out. Willow snuggled up next to her in an attempt to calm her down. <br/>The rest of the ride was spent in near silent tension. Only the sound of the van whooshing down the road and the occasional meow could be heard. The tension was palpable. Maybe Rona and Kennedy would have argued anyways, but it certainly wasn’t aided by the fact that they all very well could be speeding towards their demise. It lingered in the minds of everyone in that van. This could be it for all of them.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 9 <br/>The van sped down the highway for quite some time. Countless vehicles were met along the way speeding their way out of LA. It was fires in the distance that initially stood out as signification that Los Angeles was on the horizon. A scape of crackling embers and rising columns smoke. An occasional winged silhouette could be seen flying between the buildings. <br/>Andrew directed the van on their pre designated course as best he could, though visibility was becoming an issue. The smoke caused by the collective fires was too thick. <br/>“Giles, I think if we’re going to crash if we don’t park soon.” Buffy said as she strained her eyes trying to make anything out. <br/>“Perhaps, but if we park now it will invariably add quite a bit of time to how long it will take us to reach Wolfram and Heart.” Giles replied also straining his eyes to see road ahead. <br/>“Better to make it there later than to risk not making it there at all.” Xander quipped as he placed a hand on Andrew’s shoulders. “Not that I don’t believe in your driving abilities, this is too much to ask of anyone.” <br/>Andrew shook a bit from Xanders’ touch, but a smile couldn’t be kept from stretching across his face. <br/>“Oh…..yeah thanks. So group vote, are we stopping here or not?” Andrew said with a shakiness to his voice. <br/>“I’m with Buffy on this,” Willow began “its too dangerous for us to just plow ahead in the van.” <br/>“Agreed.” Kennedy hastily added to punctuate Willow’s testament. <br/>“I cannot argue with the votes for safety. Andrew, go ahead and pull over here. It’s best for us to start hiking now.” Giles admittedly was opposed to so much walking, but he didn’t want everyone to be in such high risk of an accident when they’re already marching into a hell scape. <br/>“Aye aye captain!” Andrew shouted with glee pretending they were some naval fleet on a voyage in pursuit of treasure. <br/>The van slowed and pulled just off the highway to the left of the road where it eventually halted to a complete stop. The Scoobies began gathering their weapons as they made their way out of the van and onto the pitch black smoke filled air on the outskirts of LA. Buffy took the map and began marching ahead with a sense of urgency and duty calling her to take the lead. In an unorganized cluster the rest of the Scoobies followed behind, Xander taking up the spot right behind Buffy. Meanwhile, Amanda and Violet took up the rear with the kitten clinging to Amanda’s shoulder. <br/>“Don’t worry lil buddy, we’ll keep you safe from the nasty demons.” Amanda whispered as she gently scratched behind his ears. <br/>“If we can keep ourselves safe, that is.” Violet said nervously darting her eyes all around them. <br/>“I can’t believe that damn cat is still hanging around you when we’re so close to a hell portal. Can’t animals sense evil or something, Giles?” Rona asked looking from the cat to Giles as she spoke. <br/>“They do tend to have some preternatural sense for anything occult related, but it doesn’t always drive them away. Sometimes in fact it draws them in, for whatever reasons.” Giles answered making sure to keep a hushed tone as the group continued their march into this dread filled city. <br/>This trek continued for the next two hours. The group occasionally had to stop and hide behind a building to avoid swooping demons. It was particularly difficult for Buffy to ignore the distant screams of innocent lives being assaulted by these vessels of pure evil. Giles did his due diligence to remind the crew that if they stopped to save these people they would potentially be unable to complete their mission, which ultimately would be saving everyone else. Still, it pained them to know so much slaughter was occurring all around them. <br/>Andrew’s legs felt like they were on fire, his chest felt as if it was starting to cave in. He was not at all used to so much physical activity. Xander was the first to look back and take notice. <br/>“Hey Buffster, I think we may need to stop and take a breather.” Xander said with as convincingly as possible, concerned for his fellow nerd. <br/>“We don’t have time for a breather.” Buffy said sternly not looking back, eyes straight ahead focused on their task. <br/>“Buffy, Andrew is about to collapse.” Willow said after she followed Xanders’ gaze back to the poor guy who was struggling. <br/>Buffy actually paused at this and looked back. <br/>“Okay fine, we can take five minutes. But that’s all we’re taking. We can’t afford to rest too much.” Buffy snapped obviously annoyed and feeling anxious.  <br/>“To be perfectly honest, I don’t know why you even came along if you can’t keep up Andrew. You should have just stayed with the van.” Kennedy snapped making her opinion on the situation known. <br/>“Oh, right…..sorry.” Andrew huffed out in between labored breaths. His hands placed on his knees he was hunched over breathing heavily. <br/>“That could have been equally as dangerous for him. We have no idea how many of these demons have already made their way outside of LA.” Giles said stepping up face to face with Kennedy. <br/>“Alright alright let’s just take a second to calm down. Kennedy you made your point, Giles you made yours, let’s not let this get anymore heated.” Xander said as he stepped up beside Andrew to check on him. <br/>Andrew couldn’t help but look at Xanders’ hands hung at his side. In this moment of rest they were like beacons of respite. He reached out gently to take one and interlace his fingers with Xanders’. The warmth and firmness seemed to fill Andrew’s lungs with all the air they previously lacked. <br/>“Woah buddy, what are you doing?” Xander nearly shouted as he pulled his hand away and took a step back. <br/>That sucked the air right back out. <br/>“Oh…..I just thought…..they just looked so….” Andrew’s words were cut off by an abrupt scream coming from Violet. <br/>Everyone snapped their heads in the direction of the shout and could see Violet was screaming at the sight of a demon who had snatched Rona up off the ground and was carrying her up into the sky. The demon had dull blue skin and leathery bat like wings. Two spiky horns curved upwards from it’s forehead. Three pinpoints of smoldering red comprised it’s eyes, and two vertical slits comprised it’s nostrils. <br/>Buffy immediately began climbing the nearby building attempting to rush to the rooftop. Willow could be heard chanting some sort of spell. Another assailant rushed into the group’s space, separating Andrew and Xander sending them both flat to their backs. This demon was covered head to toe with pitch black fur. It possessed four muscular arms, two even more muscular looking legs, and a long tail that had several bone spikes at the end. <br/>Kennedy, Amanda, and Violet all sprang into action jumping forward and engaging this very ape like demon. Giles pulled out his crossbow and looked from the demon in the sky and the one on the ground right before him. He raised his crossbow as he considered shooting the one in the sky the mental image of him slaying that demon and thusly Rona falling several feet down sprang to mind and gave him pause. He instead aimed at the ape like demon and waited for one of the Slayers to be out of the crossfire. <br/>Rona struggled in the grasp of this winged demon and felt a sharp pain in her back. She couldn’t help but let out a scream and she looked down to see a stream of blood running down her legs. She wanted to continue to struggle but she also realized how high up she was at the moment and had she freed herself she may not survive the drop. Buffy easily scaled the building to it’s rooftop and lunged to grasp onto the foot of the flying demon. She clasped her hands like two iron vices around it’s foot and yanked it down to the rooftop. Both the demon and Rona hit the roof with audible grunts. Rona immediately sprang to her feet and started stomping on the downed demon. <br/>Willow continued her chanting but changed her target to the nearer demon. Once she completed the spell she held an orb of electrical power. <br/>“All of you! Jump back now!” Willow shouted at the three Slayers. <br/>They turned to acknowledge her command. Kennedy and Amanda were able to leap backwards, but while Violet’s eyes were set on Willow the demon had reached out and grasped her around the throat. A wet crunching noise could be heard by everyone nearby. When the demon released it’s grasp Violet crumpled to the ground in a limp heap. <br/>“No!” Amanda shouted with a face full of tears. <br/>Andrew could be seen trembling in sheer terror at what he had just seen. Xander finally made his way to his feet and pulled out his crossbow and stood alongside Giles. Willow did not hesitate to release the spell, hitting the demon with the ball of electricity in the center of its torso. Arcs of bright blue lightning stretched across the entirety of this demons’ body causing his hair to stand on end and singe. It let out an unearthly howl. Both Giles and Xander let bolts fly out of their crossbows. Xanders’ bold caught the demon in its neck, and Giles’ bolt flew directly into it’s mouth and came out the back of it’s skull. The ape like demon also crumpled to the ground in a heap.<br/>On the rooftop Buffy and Rona continued to beat down this winged demon until they could hear it’s bones breaking beneath the weight of their blows. It’s brackish blood seeped out from under it.<br/>“Damn Buffy, I thought for sure I was done for.” Rona said looking up to Buffy wide eyed and chest heaving in and out with heavy breaths. <br/>“Honestly? I did too.” Buffy said making eye contact briefly before looking down to the group below.<br/>“Oh god no, Violet!” Buffy shouted and started to make her way back down. Her progress halted as she heard a thud behind her. She turned her head to see that Rona had fallen over. <br/>“Shit!” was all Buffy could say as she rushed over. <br/>Rona's veins bulged and we’re dark. Her eyes were wide and pupils dilated. Her breaths were shallow. Buffy rolled her over to check the wound on her back. There was a hole shaped piercing in the center of her back where the blood was pouring out from. Dark lines branched out from the wound signifying poison had been injected into Rona’s body. Her body had gone stiff and cold. <br/>Even though Buffy had experienced so much death in her short life, it was never easy to witness. She could not keep the tears from welling up and streaming down her face. The Scoobies had just lost two Slayers. The gravity of the situation was not lost on any of them. They still had quite the trek until the Wolfram and Heart headquarters.</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 10<br/>It was frustrating to Spike having to keep the same pace as before despite his newly invigorated body. Drinking Illyria’s blood had made him feel like he could do anything. It was so much more intoxicating than drinking Slayer’s blood. Yet they were still traveling through LA with Lorne so they could not take full advantage of his and Angel’s newfound speed. Spike could not help but wonder if this was how Illyria felt all the time.<br/>“Angel cakes, maybe you and Spikey would be better off if I just stayed put. Honestly, you two could get there so much faster without having to wait on me.” Lorne announced from the rear of the group through pained breaths. <br/>“You are so much safer with us. Just think about being alone with all these demons out and about.” Spike said without turning to face Lorne. <br/>“Yes, and besides, we wouldn’t have been able to take down Illyria without you.” Angel said looking back over his shoulder and flashing Lorne a smile that would make most people swoon. <br/>“Well, I can’t say I’m not touched by having two such lovely boys being so concerned about my physical well being.” Lorne practically sang the last several words despite the pain in his chest. <br/>Spike, who was at the head of the group only because Angel was shouldering Illyria’s unconscious body, stopped abruptly and threw his hands up to signal the other two to stop. They had all come to a stop in an alley as Spike was peering around the corner. After a moment of analysis he turned his head back to Angel and Lorne. <br/>“Looks like a bunch of the demons have elected an official.” Spike said with a wide eyed and concerned expression. <br/>“What are you talking about?” Angel asked as he also poked his head around the corner. <br/>There he saw a group of what could have been one hundred or more demons gathered around one tall and cloaked demon who was wielding a staff. The cloaked demon’s hood was down revealing a face that looked as if it was forged from the fires of hell itself. Craggy red skin stretched tight against a skull with streaks and veins of bright yellow crossing the forehead was shouting commands to this growing crowd of demons. Angel and Spike both turned back behind the corner. <br/>“Well I would say let’s just go around them, but they’re right in front of Wolfram and Heart.” Angel began as his eyes were darting rapidly back and forth formulating reactionary plans. <br/>“Lorne, get a gander at their keynote speaker. Can you tell us anything about that guy?” Spike said as he drew out cigarette.<br/>Lorne peered from behind the wall as cautiously as he could to scan the assumed leader. He very quickly turned back to face Spike and Angel.<br/>“Oh dear oh my, this is not good.” Lorne squeaked in a muffled shout. <br/>“What? Who is it? You know him?” Angel asked. <br/>“Oh yes. He’s a member of the Tothric Clan. Rumor was that there was only one left, and your dearest Buffy-kins took him out. But there’s another one, lucky us!” Lorne explained as he clasped his hands together nervously. <br/>“Any news on what that staff can do?” Angel asked as he took another glance around the corner. <br/>“Oh I actually know this one, it splits people in two.” Spike said in between drags of his cigarette. <br/>“Okay so we’ll avoid the staff and won’t get zapped in half.” Angel said as he continued to size up the Tothric demon. <br/>“No sweetie, Spike means it splits the target into two versions of themselves. It’s called Ferula Gemina, which roughly translates to the Twinning Staff.” Lorne explained. <br/>Angel once more turned back around the corner and looked at Spike. <br/>“Usually I would try to urge us to not just storm in and fight the swarm of demons, but with both of us on God’s blood right now…” Angel began<br/>“Are you fucking kidding me?” Spike interrupted “Are you and I actually on the same bloody page for once?” <br/>“Angel, Spike, babes I know you’re both feeling really good right now, but there’s a lot of pointy bits out there in that crowd. Any one of which could just happen to find their way piercing through your heart. I don’t think the God’s blood is gonna keep ya from getting dusted.” Lorne pleaded rapidly hoping to talk some sense into the two high vampires. <br/>“Lorne, don’t fret, we got this.” Angel said with a smile as he shoved Illyria’s body into Lorne’s reflexive grasp. <br/>Spike and Angel both exchanged knowing glances at one another, smirked, and ran out from behind the corner leaving a sputtering and flustered Lorne in their wake. <br/>“I guess I’ll just stay here and keep you company. So…..what are the other gods like? Got any warm tea to share?” Lorne asked the unconscious form of Illyria. <br/>Spike and Angel ran into the clustered crowd of demons and immediately began tearing into them. Infernal shouts and growls filled the air around them. Demon bodies began flying and hurdling in all directions, smashing into nearby street lights, P.O. boxes, and parked cars. These demons were quickly sent into wild disarray as Spike and Angel began making quick work of them.<br/>The Tothric demon took several steps back wide eyed and at a loss for words. He certainly never expected to see such a large group being bested so handily, especially by two measly vampires. As he regained his composure he raised his staff and took aim at the blonde vampire. Though he was moving too quickly, nothing but a blur of fangs and fists rampaging through walls of sinew and horns. Seeing as how his target was too swift, the Tothric demon thought it best to simply turn and run. <br/>As soon as he turned and took a step he felt a pressure within in his chest. It took a moment for him to realize he had walked directly into the taller vampire. He looked down to see this vampire had driven his hand into his chest and was gripping his heart. <br/>“Sorry buddy, we just really needed you out of our way.” Angel said as he ripped the heart free from his chest and drank from it. <br/>The Tothric demon hit the ground with a thud. Being this high and this powerful felt intoxicating. Maybe a little too intoxicating for a cursed vampire. He did his best to shrug the satisfaction from his body. Angel leaned over and picked up the staff and looked it over. Most of the crowd of demons had begun to disperse, though Spike could still be heard leaping from body to body relieving them of their blood. <br/>“That couldn’t have gone more smoothly.” Angel said smiling at the staff. <br/>“I don’t think I’ve ever had this much infernal blood in one setting!” Spike shouted as demon ichor dripped from his mouth. <br/>There was sudden movement that caught both Spike and Angel’s attention. Looking up to the alleyway they came from they could see Lorne being forced out towards them. Illyria had come to consciousness and had her arms wrapped around Lorne’s head. <br/>“You have drained me, but I still possess the necessary strength to crush this one’s head.” Illyria said as she looked at them from behind Lorne, resting her chin on his shoulder. <br/>“Illyria we were just trying to calm you down. You were acting unhinged.” Angel said as he took a cautious step towards them. <br/>“Stop!” Illyria shouted and tightened her grip on Lorne’s head. <br/>Lorne gurgled out reflexively from the pressure being placed around his throat. His eyes were wide and tear stained and his lips were trembling rapidly. Spike stood up releasing his grasp on what would have been his next meal, and the demon jolted upright and scampered away with a whine. <br/>“We didn’t wanna hurt you, we just wanted to keep you from hurting yourself.” Spike said with surprising restraint as he held his hands up. <br/>“The voice will not stop. This host is supposed to be no more. How can it still be? I have taken it’s body. This makes no sense!” Illyria’s words were shaky and with the last statement she shook Lorne left and right with each word. <br/>“We don’t know why Fred…” Angel began.<br/>“HOST! IT IS NOTHING MORE THAN A HOST!” Illyria shouted to cut him off. <br/>“Understood, we don’t know why….your host is still…..present. But we want to help you.” Angel said also raising his hands, one of which still grasped the Ferula Gemina.<br/>Spike and Lorne could not help but take notice of the staff now in Angel’s possession and exchanged a surprised glance. <br/>“How? How can you help me? HOW CAN YOU MAKE IT CEASE ITS RANTS?!” Illyria’s eyes grew wide and manic as she locked her gaze with Angel’s. <br/>Angel simply looked to his right hand which clutched the staff. <br/>“Do you know what this is? Do you know what it can do?” Angel said as calmly as he could muster. <br/>“A……..a Twinning Staff. You possess a Twinning Staff.” Illyria’s grasp around Lorne loosened ever so slightly. <br/>“I don’t know precisely how this thing works, but maybe it can help separate you from your host.” Angel said slowly in the hopes of preventing her from reacting wildly to the assertion. <br/>“But what if it does not make the voice stop? What if it still persists? What if I simply am divided into two vessels and two host voices plague both bodies?” Illyria said with a near cry. Blue tinted tears actually welled up at the edges of her eyes.<br/>“Right this minute it’s the best bet we got at helping you. It’s either we try the staff, or you have to go on with that voice nagging at you til we find something better.” Spike said with raised eyebrows, denoting the severity of his claim. <br/>Angel actually looked over to Spike with a shocked expression. He couldn’t quite believe that Spike was willing to risk saying something like that in such a tense situation. Then again, it is Spike. <br/>“I…..I.....if it does not work……you must swear to find an alternative treatment for ridding me of this host. Do you understand?” Illyria cried out her voice growing more shaky by the moment. <br/>“Of course, we need your help to stop this apocalypse. We’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you’re in fighting form.” Angel reassured. <br/>Illyria released her grasp on Lorne who immediately scrambled away and practically hid behind Angel. Angel looked back at him glad to see he was relatively unharmed. He then walked up closer to Illyria, who was now having difficulty keeping her entire body from shaking. They have never seen the deity anxious about anything before. Angel raised the staff with both hands and pointed the tip at her, holding it like a rifle would be held. <br/>“Take a deep slow breath. If this doesn’t work we’re going to find something that does.” Angel smiled though he himself was just as anxious about what he was about to do. <br/>He could feel the magical energy within the staff. The trigger, so to speak, makes itself felt to your mind. It’s simply pulled by a though. A simple thought is all that’s required to release a ray of magical force from an archaic relic. Angel closed his eyes to steady himself, opened them again, and mentally pulled the trigger. Magical swirling energy coalesced at the tip of the staff mere seconds before jutting out into a ray and striking Illyria in the center of her torso. Before their collective eyes they could see the magical energy envelope Illyria and project a copy of her to her right. <br/>The two Illyria copies stood there a moment after the magical energies subsided, gathering their composures. They looked to each other wide eyed and mouths slightly parted in surprise. <br/>“Well? How do ya feel?” Spike asked as he lit up a cigarette. <br/>“The host is silent.” The Illyria on the left said. A smile almost forming across her face. <br/>“Angel? Lorne? Spike? Oh my goodness it’s been so dark and now, well, it’s still pretty dark out here, but this is much better….” The copy to the right began but stopped as she took notice of the shocked expression on all of the boys’ faces. <br/>“F…..Fred?” they all asked in unison. <br/>“Well, yeah last I checked anyways!” the reemerged Winifred Burkle said with a smile. She looked down at her hands and ran them through her hair. Then let out a squeal of surprise and delight. <br/>“Hey! I have pretty blue hair now!”</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 11<br/>Angel, Spike, and Lorne all stood aghast at the sight of Fred returned to her body. Fred continued look at her hair with a bright smile etched across her face. Illyria for the first time in the last few hours had calmed to her usual stoic demeanor. As the five of them stood there amongst the several slaughtered demon corpses in front of the Wolfram and Heart headquarters surrounded by an ongoing apocalypse, there was a seed of hope. A glimmer of happiness contrasted against the devastation that extended in every direction. <br/>“Fred, is it really you?” Angel asked while taking a cautionary step towards her. <br/>“Why of course it’s me! Now I know that she’s,” Fred cut a glare made of daggers towards Illyria “been trapesing around in my body, but you ought to know me when you see me.” She said with a smile when she looked back to Angel. <br/>Angel couldn’t help but return the smile then close the distance between them and embrace her in a warm hug. Spike and Lorne also stepped forward to get a closer look. Spike couldn’t help but look her up and down, then look back to Illyria and examine her. <br/>“Spikey poo, whatcha looking for?” Lorne asked. <br/>“Tryin’ to see if there’s any difference between the two.” Spike answered still bouncing his gaze back and forth. <br/>“Physically there is not.” Illyria said plainly while staring at Fred. <br/>“Well, I think we’re gonna have to do something to make you two more obviously different.” Spike said after he finished examining them over and took a step back with a perplexed expression on his face. <br/>“Wait, why do you say that?” Angel said finally releasing Fred from the hug. <br/>“Cause, seeing two of em….completely identical….it’s weird. Isn’t it unsettling to the rest of you?” Spike answered while crossing his arms still looking perturbed.<br/>“I must say, I wouldn’t want anyone else copying my look. Took me years to cultivate this sense of style.” Lorne said while stepping in to hug Fred now that she was free. <br/>Fred couldn’t contain a chuckle.<br/>“Honestly, I’m just glad to be back. It was…..dark in there. I could kinda see through her……I mean my eyes. But it was like watching all of you through a movie screen. I couldn’t really do anything.” Fred explained her voice partially muffled by Lorne’s chest. <br/>“Except for incessantly plea for your words to reach their ears.” Illyria said with a slight edge to her voice. <br/>Fred stepped out of Lorne’s arms, surprising him with how much force she could now muster. <br/>“Excuse me? No, you were borrowing MY body! You don’t get to complain about having to hear my thoughts!” Fred snapped as she stepped right up to Illyria. <br/>“Is that why you were goin completely bonkers?” Spike asked casually as he lit up a cigarette. <br/>Angel and Lorne simultaneously looked back to Spike with a shared pained expression letting him know he had made a grave mistake. <br/>“Yes, the host would not yield. It believed you all needed to hear it’s stance on the current events.” Illyria replied not taking her eyes off of Fred. <br/>“And that’s another thing! I am not an IT! I’m a person! You are such a rude god.” Fred continued to exclaim, releasing pent up frustration. <br/>“And you were a rude host that nearly caused me to crush the skulls of your friends.” Illyria replied the slight edge not really escalading, still maintaining a largely stoic mood. <br/>“If you woulda just taken a second to listen to me…” Fred began before getting cut off. <br/>Angel stepped between the two. He put his arms up against them and gently pushed them both back a couple inches. Fred was now surprisingly strong, it seemed that when the body was split so was the power. <br/>“Okay, we can hash out these issues later. But first we have to make sure there is a later.” Angel said as calmly as he could.<br/>“Of course, Angel. I know I know, stopping the world from ending has gotta come first.” Fred said slumping ever so slightly. <br/>“Yes, this discussion can resume when we are finished.” Illyria said now finally taking her gaze off of Fred and looking to the building. <br/>“No telling when the others are gonna get here. Punctuality was never one of the Scoobies’ strong points.” Spike said taking a drag off his cigarette. <br/>“True, and there’s no telling what all has taking up residents here after we left.” Angel said. <br/>“So what? We go inside and make sure the coast is clear then wait for them?” Lorne asked with a concerned tone. <br/>“Yeah, we can also look around for the book Willow said she needed for the ritual. Then find a space to conduct it.”<br/>“Well it sounds like there’s plenty to do to occupy our time waiting on them. But, question, what if they don’t…..well ya know…..make it?” Fred asked looking back to the city seeing pillars of fire and columns of smoke, an occasional scream piercing through the streets. <br/>“We’ll have to try to do the ritual ourselves. You’re brilliant Fred, I’m sure you can figure it out. And well, Illyria must have done countless rituals back in her time, right?” Angel said also taking a moment to hope the others do indeed make it safely. He couldn’t help but think of Buffy. <br/>“There is not a ritual that is capable of escaping my understand.” Illyria stated plainly and with absolute confidence. <br/>“Well then, we should be perfectly fine and dandy.” Lorne practically sang out. <br/>With that they turned their attention to large double doors of Wolfram and Heart headquarters, still in tact despite the devastation that permeated throughout the city. Angel took the lead and opened them stepping inside. Illyria filed in immediately behind him just before Spike could put out his cigarette and take up the second position. Lorne took a moment to hold the door opened for Fred, then followed in behind the group letting the door shut as gently as possible. <br/>The interior was dark, all the lights seemingly off due to power outages. The group walked through the front office and foyer, the sounds of their footsteps the only noises echoing off the walls. They eventually came to the first elevator and Angel pressed the button hoping against hope that it still maintained some power. It did not. <br/>“Stairs is it.” Angel said walking away from the elevator and quietly marching up the nearby large set of stairs. <br/>“Ugh, my calves and hamstrings are going to be screaming.” Lorne said mostly to himself.<br/>“You are the one most in need of the physical exertion. Your form lacks discipline.” Illyria said without looking back. <br/>“Again, such a rude god. Just ignore her Lorne I think you look great.” Fred said flashing a smile back to him.<br/>“Look, she’s not wrong. I don’t get as much exercise as I need, not while vertical anyways.” Lorne said with a wry smile. <br/>Spike couldn’t help but laugh, but as he looked back to comment he suddenly looked very weak and fell to his knees. <br/>“Spike! What’s wrong?” Fred asked as she rushed to close the distance and place a hand on his shoulder. <br/>“What happened to…” Angel turned to ask about Spike but also fell to his knees feeling incredibly drained. <br/>“Lorne, Illyria, what’s going on with them? How can we help?” Fred asked her eyes darting back and forth between the two fallen vampires. <br/>Lorne rushed up the stairs to help drag Angel up the rest of the way to the landing of the second floor. <br/>“I don’t know. They were feeling extra chipper earlier cause of….” Lorne was practically grunting out his response while towing Angel’s body but the realization hit him mid sentence. <br/>“My blood.” Illyria stated calmly. <br/>Fred shouldered Spike with her new found strength and hefted him hip the stairs. Once she made it up to the landing she set up against the wall, seated next to Angel. Both vampires were completely unconscious. <br/>“Wait, so can’t you just give them some more?” Fred asked. <br/>“I believe you could now as well, but that would not solve the issue. It would temporarily treat it.” Illyria replied. <br/>“What do you mean? Fred has god blood now?” Lorne asked. <br/>“Yes, she has been blessed by my presence within her mortal form.” Illyria boasted. <br/>“Circle back to the temporary treatment thing. What exactly do you mean by that?” Fred asked nervously. <br/>“Vampires are not meant to drink the blood of divine beings. Such holy nectar coursing through them would indeed grant them improved strength, speed, and awareness. Yet it comes with the cost of burnout, and quite possibly addiction.” Illyria explained. <br/>“Are you saying whenever these resting babies get their nap in they’ll need more?” Lorne asked. <br/>“Well vampires always need more blood, what’s the difference?” Fred asked.   <br/>“The difference is potency. Angel and Spike always were capable of exerting commendable restraint when not feeding off of any nearby human. But now, they will feel far more compulsion to feed on God’s blood. Our blood. <br/>“Oh….” Fred said sheepishly taking a nervous step back away from the pair.</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 12<br/>Dread filled each one of the Scoobies. They were only a few miles into LA and just in an instance they had lost two of their Slayers. Amanda knelt and wept over the fallen body of Violet. Kennedy and Willow embraced one another searching for some semblance of comfort. Andrew nervously paced and muttered to himself, while Giles and Xander both looked on in silence. <br/>Buffy finally made her way down from the rooftop. The climb made more arduous by her shouldering the lifeless corpse of Rona. She wordlessly walked over to where Amanda was kneeling and gently placed Rona down next to Violet. There was another loud, choked so that escaped Amanda’s throat as she took notice of the other fallen Slayer for the first time. Kennedy turned her head away and burrows her tear stained face into Willow’s chest. Willow simply cradled Kennedy’s head and gently stroked her hair. Andrew halted his pacing and stood wide eyed and aghast at Rona also having been slain. <br/>“No…” was all Giles could muster, near breathlessly. <br/>Buffy turned away from the two bodies and looked at the rest of the Scoobies. <br/>“We can’t stay here.” She said holding back her own tears. <br/>“Buff, maybe give them a minute.” Xander said quietly unable to take his eyes off of Rona and Violet. <br/>“We WERE taking a minute, and that’s exactly why this happened. If we stick around we’re just going to be open for more attacks.” Buffy snapped and looked around at everyone, lastly to Giles in hopes of garnering his approval.<br/>“As painful as it is, we have to grieve later. Buffy is right, everyone pull yourselves together.” Giles said as he approached Amanda and delicately placed a hand on her shoulder. <br/>She looked up for the first time in which to her felt like an eternity. Amanda allowed Giles to help her to her feet. She felt tiny claws digging into her clothes pulling themselves up her body. Before she knew what was going on she felt the wet and sand paper like sensation of the kitten licking her left cheek. She weakly pet behind the kitten’s ear, and the ensuing purring was mildly comforting. <br/>“Come on buddy, we’re gonna need you too.” Xander said as he walked up next to Andrew and broke him from his silent panic attack. <br/>“Okay, right. Th….thank you.” Andrew replied as he forced a smile. <br/>With a more sluggish pace the Scoobies continued their march through the smoldering ruins of Los Angeles. Amanda and Kennedy taking occasional glances back to their fallen Slayers until they were out of sight. It did not feel right just leaving them there, but they didn’t have the time for a proper ceremony. The world needed them to trudge onwards. Though, they couldn’t help but have the thought of that very well could have been them laying there. <br/>Andrew was made to walk in the middle of the group. This notion was made by Xander who took up the marching order next to him to help keep him moving. Buffy and Giles took the lead. Giles occasionally referencing the map to make sure they were on the right track. Kennedy, Willow, and Amanda took up the rear and was tasked with keeping their eyes and ears trained on any sudden movements or sounds that were made near them. <br/>“Its just not right.” Amanda said quietly, seemingly to herself. <br/>“I know. But they would have to keep going if it was us that got hit.” Kennedy said in her usual snide demeanor. <br/>“I don’t think I wanna keep doing this after we’re done here. I can’t handle any more Slayer responsibilities.” Amanda continued, keeping her eyes down at her feet still seemingly speaking aloud to herself. <br/>“Well, we don’t really have a choice. Do we?” Kennedy snapped back. <br/>“Kennedy, it’s okay if she’s done with the hero life.” Willow said reassuringly. <br/>“No, it isn’t okay. She was born with the potential, and YOU unlocked it. That means she has to shoulder this responsibility. For the people who can’t.” Kennedy responded her voice as sharp as knives. <br/>“I just can’t keep it up. It isn’t fair. I didn’t ask for this.” Amanda continued not phased. <br/>“Rona and Violet didn’t ask for this either! But they did it because they knew they had to!” Kennedy shouted, her voice echoing off the nearby alley walls. <br/>Buffy stopped in her tracks and turned on a dime, marching through the group to the back. <br/>“We don’t have time for these squabbles. Get yourselves together ladies.” Buffy commanded as she looked directly into Kennedy’s eyes. <br/>“So what? You’re still the leader even though you just got back from a vacation getting to party all across Europe with your lover? No, I don’t think so. We’ve been busting our asses just fine without you.” Kennedy snapped back, not stepping down. <br/>“Please, we really do not have the time….” Giles began in a placating manner before getting cut off. <br/>“And logging a few extra days worth of field work in my absence certainly does not qualify you to be the leader.” Buffy continued as if she didn’t hear Giles. <br/>Andrew began nervously fidgeting. Xander gently slid his fingers into Andrew’s. Their intertwining grasp sent jolts throughout Andrew and he couldn’t help but smile. <br/>“Oh, I am twice the Slayer you ever were, and everyone here knows it. Isn’t that right Willow?” Kennedy claimed as she looked to Willow. <br/>“I don’t think now is the time to be…” Willow was immediately cut off.<br/>“It doesn’t matter who’s “better”,” Buffy did air quotes around the word better “What matters is that we focus on our damn job!” <br/>“I was trying to keep Amanda focused! She was the one who was dis…..look out!” Kennedy shoved Buffy out of the way as a form had jumped down from the nearby rooftop. <br/>It landed on Kennedy instead. This demon had a hulking, muscular form. Deep red skin, bright yellow nearly glowing eyes. Wicked, pitch black blades protruded from his forearms and were driven into Kennedy’s stomach as it landed on top of her. Willow’s eyes grew wide as she stifled a shout and instead began chanting some sort of spell. <br/>Buffy recovered quickly and kicked the demon off of Kennedy and up against the adjacent wall. Xander and Giles began loading their crossbows and tried looking for an opportune moment to take their shots. Amanda and Andrew stood motionless in shock.<br/>Buffy continued to trade blows with this imposing figure until she was struck across her torso with one of its forearm blades. She was sent hurdling backwards. Thud, thud. Two crossbow bolts were sent flying from Xander and Giles piercing this creature in its abdomen. It looked down at the bolts, then back up to them as it let out a chuckle. It strode over Buffy who was trying to reorient herself, and made it’s way up to Giles and Xander. <br/>Willow finished her spell and projected her minds’ strength to wrap around this demon, locking it in place. The others took note of this invisible force holding the demon still as it thrashed about trying to escape. Amanda snapped out of her shock and helped Buffy to her feet. The two took a moment to nod to one another, each drawing an axe, and stood on either side of this demon. They in unison swung their blades at it’s neck, their blades met in the middle as they successfully decapitated him. His body crumpled to the ground after Willow released her spell and flung herself down to Kennedy. <br/>“No no no no! Baby, you have to stay with me!” Willow shouted through choked words and pressed her hands into the wounds, attempting to stop the bleeding. <br/>Kennedy looked up wide eyed and pale skinned. It looked as if she was trying to talk, but only blood filled gurgles were able to escape. Willow immediately began cycling through her list of spells in her mind, frantically searching for a healing spell. But it was too late. <br/>Kennedy’s head fell limp against the cold concrete beneath her. Her blood had seeped out rapidly from the wounds and had stained some of Willow’s clothing. <br/>“Noooo!” Willow cried out as she cradled Kennedy’s now lifeless head. <br/>Andrew once again couldn’t help but resume his pacing and fidgeting. Xander ran his fingers through his own hair in disbelief. Amanda backed up against the nearby wall and slid down to sit. She cradled her knees up against herself as she began rocking and weeping. Giles stood with one hand covering mouth, tears once again forming at the edges of his eyes.<br/>Buffy stood motionless watching her best friend grieve over the loss of her girlfriend. She couldn’t help but realize the last act of Kennedy’s life had been to shove her out of the way of an attack. Kennedy had saved Buffy’s life.</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 13<br/>Willow’s sobs filled the air around them. For several moments they all stood in silent, shocked dismay at what just occurred. Xander was the first to step up and crouch next to Willow’s hunched form. He wrapped an arm around her in an attempt to comfort her. Andrew couldn’t help but resume his nervous fidgeting and pacing. Amanda cradled her kitten and pet him, to soothe herself more than anything. Giles and Buffy couldn’t help but look in all other directions sounds of marching feet signaling an approach. <br/>“Willow,” Buffy began in a hesitant and soft tone “we need you to get on your feet.” <br/>“Buffy, can’t she…” Xander looked back to Buffy as he began his protest but hearing the sounds of several coordinated footsteps cut him off. He instead stood and pulled Willow to her feet. <br/>She initially tried to fight it, wanting more time with her fallen lover, but her resistance gave out realizing they were all still in imminent danger. Giles was the first to spot the incoming threat. A group of armored and armed demons, marching in rows and columns of four. They had grey skin and bright green eyes. They had bows and quivers of arrows slung across their back, and each of them carried a spear as they marched. They were marching along the perpendicular street but once they saw the Scoobies clustered in the nearby alley way they stopped, then turned, and began their march into the alley. <br/>“Run!” Giles shouted at the top of his lungs. <br/>It only took a brief glance from the others to urge them into motion. Buffy made sure the others were all ahead of her before she began running behind. Giles was at the lead of the group with the map out, frantically trying to guide the group. Andrew was right behind him. Amanda, Xander, and Willow were clustered together in the middle. <br/>Legs and lungs burning the group continued to flee the squad of militaristic demons. Buffy took a glance back to make sure they were gaining distance, they weren’t. Giles led them as best he could but the directions they needed to take had them out of the alleys and into an open street. The squad of demons behind them stopped their march and took up a formation in which they all dropped their spears and pulled out their bows. <br/>“We need cover!” Buffy screamed to all of them. <br/>They all heeded Buffy’s words and without looking back dove behind nearby parked cars and benches. Andrew couldn’t help but steal a glance at the border and was frozen with terror seeing them all notch arrows. Xander, seeing Andrew frozen in place rushed back out from his cover. He wrapped his arms around Andrew’s waist and lifted him up over his shoulder and ran.<br/>The demons released their volley of arrows which rained down all around the Scoobies. Xander was mere centimeters away from being struck with several arrows by the time he got behind a parked car and set Andrew down. <br/>“I….I….I almost….that would have….” Andrew stammered wide eyed heart pounding. <br/>“Yeah buddy, that would have sucked.” Xander finished for him. <br/>“Buffy, what are we gonna do? We can’t just stay here behind cover!” Amanda asked frantically. <br/>“I’m thinking!” Buffy shouted in response. <br/>She looked to Giles who was also crouched nearby looking in all directions trying to formulate some semblance of a plan. Another volley of arrows needled the surrounding area causing each of the Scoobies to cringe. Fortunately none of them were hit. <br/>“Willow, it’s not going to take them much longer to hit us. So if you’ve got something in your back pocket now’s the time to bring it out.” Buffy said rapidly as fear was overtaking her. <br/>She looked to Willow and could see that she’s been rocking back and forth in her hunched position. Her head had been tucked to her knees. When Buffy spoke though she raised her head and her hair parted revealing her eyes were solid black. Buffy’s eyes grew even wider and her lips parted. <br/>A forceful wind began to blow. Lightning streaked across the sky. Rain poured, slowly at first. Willow stood to her feet, her face contorted into an expression of sheer rage. She walked out from behind her cover. After the first few steps her feet left the ground and she was gliding. <br/>“Willow no! What the hell are you doing?” Buffy shouted out. Her words reached deaf ears. <br/>As Willow glided out to the center of the street the squadron of demons notched more arrow. They let all of them fly directly at Willow. The arrows soared out through the rain drenched sky. <br/>“NO!” Willow said with seemingly more than one voice. <br/>The arrows hit an invisible barrier and shattered. The broke arrows clattered to the ground all around Willow. The demons all exchanged glances and a command was issued in their language. They slung their bows across their back, picked up their spears, and charged forward at Willow. <br/>“They’re gonna kill her!” Amanda shouted out as she began to run to Willow’s aid. <br/>Buffy caught her by the arm and pulled her back down. <br/>“At this point I’m more concerned for them.” Buffy said as she watched on. <br/>The first demons to reach Willow lunged their spears forward only to hit the same invisible force that blocked the arrows. Willow made a swiping motion with her hand, and the first four demons’ heads were severed from their bodies. The rest of the squad halted their assault and watched as their companions’ bodies hit the street. They looked to each other with panicked expressions, then turn and ran. <br/>“Oh no, I’m not done playing just yet.” Willow said softly. <br/>She made an upward motion with both of her hands and the arrows from their quivers lifted into the air. The demons continued to flee as they didn’t feel this happening. Then Willow sent both of her hands in a quick downward arc and all of the arrows were sent soaring down into the fleeing horde. The Scoobies squinted their eyes shut and heard the wet thudding sound of dozens of arrows sinking into the flesh of the demons. When they looked back at the squad, their fallen bodies littered the alley way they had just fled from. <br/>Will remained elevated in the middle of the street. She made slow circles as her pitch black eyes scanned the surrounding area. <br/>“Hmm, I think we’re all clear.” She said her voice still echoing as if more than one person was speaking. <br/>Buffy cautiously stepped out from behind the bench she was crouched behind. <br/>“Will? Are you okay?” <br/>Willow looked down at Buffy. Buffy could see tears were still flowing out of her pitch black eyes. Her lips were still trembling. <br/>“Its not fair.” Willow spat out in her echoed voice. <br/>“I know, I know it isn’t fair. Kennedy didn’t…” Buffy began but was cut off. <br/>“DON’T SAY HER NAME!” a bolt of magical force emitted from Willow and struck the ground near where Buffy was standing.<br/>Buffy leapt back in time to not get hit. The bolt left a scorch mark. <br/>“She gave her life to save you.” Willow cried out as she looked away. <br/>“Yes, and I’ll never forget it. I’ll always be grateful. I would have done the same for her. You know that, right?” Buffy said in a placating manner. <br/>“None of us can be held responsible for the losses we’ve experienced here.” Giles said as he stepped out to stand by Buffy. <br/>“It still isn’t fair! Oz left me, Tara….oh god Tara….and now Kennedy. I just can’t take any more!” Willow shouted as more magical force erupted from her, scorching the surrounding concrete. <br/>Giles and Buffy jumped back but still stayed within sight. Xander made a motion to leave the cover and join the other two, but Andrew gripped his hand. <br/>“Pl….please don’t. She might kill you.” Andrew nervously sputtered out. <br/>“Hey, I’ve got this. Who do you think saved the world last time Will got like this?” Xander said with a smile. <br/>Andrew cautiously released his grasp and watched Xander step out to join Buffy and Giles. <br/>“Yes Will, it’s all unfair. We know. Everyone here has experienced the same loss. Jenny Calendar, Angel, Anya, we’ve all lost someone special to us. It isn’t fair, but we’ve still got each other. We all love you, Willow.” <br/>Willow looked back and saw Xander joining the other two. The three of them that had always been there for her. She slowly lowered herself to the ground. Once her feet touched the concrete she almost immediately crumpled to her knees and the sobs resumed. The storm that had picked up began to subside. <br/>“I’m so sorry.” Willow let out barely audible in between sobs.<br/>Buffy, Giles, and Xander closed the distance between them and all embraced her in a much needed hug. <br/>“We are always going to forgive you.” Giles said in a soothing manner. <br/>“Of course you’re in pain and gonna lash out sometimes. It’s something we all do.” Buffy said her voice slightly muffled by her face being pressed into Willow’s shoulder. <br/>“Just with less special effects.” Xander added and Willow couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. <br/>Amanda walked over to Andrew and offered her kitten. <br/>“Here, holding something this adorable is always a healthy distraction.” <br/>“Oh….oh okay yeah.” Andrew said as he took the ball of fluffiness from her. <br/>As Andrew gently pet it, it let out a drone of purrs. Andrew cracked a smile. <br/>“See? That lil guy has been the bravest out of all of us I think.” Amanda said as she looked to the rest of the group in their locked embrace. <br/>“I wonder why he hasn’t run off since we’ve been here.” Andrew said with his smile still etched across his face. <br/>“That’s a mystery to me too, doesn’t really make any sense. But hey, I’m glad to have the affection.” Amanda said cheerily despite all the gloom that surrounded them. <br/>“Affection, yeah it’s nice.” Andrew said as he looked up from the kitten and directly at Xander who was running his fingers through Willow’s hair. <br/>He couldn’t help but wonder what that felt like. Amanda took notice of Andrew’s expression, and who he was looking at. <br/>“You two have been growing close, huh?” she asked as she nudged Andrew’s shoulder. <br/>“What? Oh, I mean I guess. We’re the wheelmen when all you Slayers are out on patrol. All that time together…..in the van…..alone…” Andrew let out a nervous quivering sigh as he handed the kitten back. <br/>“So does he know?” Amanda asked as she let the kitten climb back to his usual perch on her shoulder. <br/>“Know? Know what? What are you talking about?” Andrew sputtered out. <br/>“That you like him, silly.” She said with a smile. <br/>“Oh! N….no….I mean….I don’t…..don’t be ridiculous.” Andrew said as he looked away from Xander and kicked some nearby newspaper on the street. <br/>“I’m being ridiculous? You’re the one that’s in denial.” She said as she once again nudged his shoulder. <br/>“No I’m n….ugghhh okay! Okay I like him. But I don’t think he feels the same. I don’t think he…..you know….likes boys.” Andrew said in a whispered tone. <br/>“Well?” Amanda prodded. <br/>“Well what?”<br/>“How are you ever going to know if you don’t ask?” <br/>Andrew’s eyes grew wide and he immediately resumed his fidgeting. <br/>“Oh….oh….I….co…..couldn’t ask…no….never.” He said unable to make eye contact. <br/>“Well, then you’ll just be left never knowing.” Amanda said with a smirk. <br/>Andrew looked up ready to respond but he stopped as he saw the others rejoining them. <br/>“Okay everyone, time to resume our trek.” Giles said as he once again took out the map and began leading the group. <br/>As they fell back into their usual formation Andrew couldn’t help but take occasional glances at Xander. He couldn’t help but imagine what could be.</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 14<br/>It did not take long for sympathy to settle in on both Fred and Lorne, causing them to heft both unconscious vampire’s bodies and moving them to somewhere more comfortable. Well, Fred and Illyria did the actual lifting while Lorne cheered them on. The group had moved to a lounge area on the second floor of the pristine law firm. Burgundy colored furniture and soft carpeting comprised most of the room. An unlit fireplace with stone statuettes of a wolf, a ram, and a heart decorated the back wall. <br/>A heavy and shaky sigh escaped Fred’s lips as she settled Spike down into the large comfy looking chair. <br/>“Okay, think. When they wake up they’ll be severely addicted to our blood and will do anything to get another drink. What can we do?” Fred wondered aloud to the other two as she ran her fingers through her hair. <br/>“I am uncertain that there is anything we can do.” Illyria stated calmly after setting Angel down on a long couch. <br/>“What do you mean you’re uncertain? You knew they would be addicted. So you have some knowledge about this.” Fred said as she cut her eyes in Illyria’s direction.<br/>Lorne took an unoccupied seat in the far corner and began to rub his pounding temples. <br/>“I have the knowledge that when vampires drink deity blood they become addicted. That is all that I know on the matter.” Illyria said as she stood stock still. <br/>Most people make at least small movements even when standing in one place. This was not the case with Illyria. She somehow was able to stand completely still and unmoving. She did not fidget. She did not sway. She never made any unnecessary movements.<br/>“So when you say you’re uncertain there is anything we can do, then what? We just let them go through withdrawals?” Fred asked as began to slowly pace around the room. <br/>“Yes. If they possess the energy to do so they will attack us without hesitation upon awakening. Our blood is too alluring to them.” Illyria continued to seem unphased by the situation. <br/>“That’s just splendid.” Lorne let slide out of his mouth at a whisper. <br/>Fred walked over to Lorne’s side and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. When he looked up at her they exchanged half smiles. <br/>“Hey I just got back, I’m not letting those boys drain me right away.” Fred said as reassuringly as she could muster. <br/>“If my assumption is correct though, they will not have the strength to pull themselves up from their current positions.” Illyria stated calmly. <br/>“I mean, I hope that’s the case, but why do you think that’ll be so?” Fred asked looking briefly to Illyria then back to the asleep vampires. <br/>“My divine nectar super charged them for a time. Their bodies were endowed with surplus strength, speed, and agility for that time. Then when my blood ran it’s course their bodies were left depleted. Hence them passing out in the first place.” Illyria explained. <br/>“Okay, that makes some sorta sense.” Lorne said in an exasperated tone. <br/>“Won’t they need to feed? If they passed out because they’re depleted won’t they be hungry after waking up? Hey how do we even know they’re gonna wake up?” Fred asked that last question rapidly as more concern mounded within her. <br/>“I suppose we do not. Nevertheless, we have a mission to complete. I am not spending anymore time waiting here.” Illyria began to walk across the room back to the door they entered from. <br/>“Wait just a minute!” Fred exclaimed as she ran to grasp Illyria’s forearm. <br/>Illyria stopped, looked down at Fred’s hand clutching her forearm, then slowly shifted her gaze up to lock eyes with Fred. Fred couldn’t hold back a reflexive gulp of nervousness. <br/>“Release me.” Illyria commanded. <br/>Fred found her courage and maintained her grip. <br/>“No ma’am.” She replied simply though her heart was pounding. <br/>“Excuse me?” Illyria cocked her head to the side and squinted her eyes in disbelief.<br/>“I said no ma’am. Not until you help Lorne and I come up with a solution to our friends’ little predicament.” Fred said as she forced a smile through her terrified body. <br/>Illyria grabble Fred’s hand and forced it away from her forearm. Then shoved her across the room with unnecessary force. Fred collided with the fireplace and left a noticeable crack in it’s stone form. <br/>“Now you listen to me former host, no mortal is allowed to touch my form without permission. We have a mission to see through, or else the demons that plague this city will spread across the entire state, then the entire country. And they will not stop there.” Illyria explained. <br/>“First of all, shoving me like that was just plain ole rude. Secondly, I’m aware of the situation, but we aren’t gonna be as affective without Spike and Angel. So we gotta see them through this. They saw you through your ordeal.” Fred said as she walked back across the room closing the gap between the two. <br/>Lorne looked on and began to sweat seeing the two mirrored ladies growing argument. <br/>“My ordeal? My ordeal was caused directly by you, former host.” Illyria stated accusatorially. <br/>“Well yeah! I wasn’t just gonna let you keep my body all to yourself. You didn’t even ask my permission. Which again, just rude.” Fred countered.<br/>“I do not need the permission of any potential host, of any mortal. Such is the privilege of being a goddess.” Illyria would not relent. <br/>“Well maybe, just maybe, that’s why you got locked away in that sarcophagus in the first place! With an attitude like that I don’t think much of anyone would want you around.” Fred was venting months of pent up frustration being trapped within her own body. <br/>“I was sealed away by infidels who did not know their place. Just as you have made it quite clear that you do not know yours.” Illyria once again turned to the leave the room.<br/>Fred used her newly heightened speed to run around Illyria and block her path. <br/>“You were helped by them sweet boys, now it’s only polite to stay and help them.” Fred said as she spread her arms to cover the doorway.<br/>“This is utterly ridiculous. There is not anything we can do to help them. They will awaken and their bodies will undergo a severe detoxification. We will be much more useful searching this facility for the book required to close the portal.” Illyria explained once again.<br/>“Well have you considered that now that you’re at half strength you may not be able to handle any demons that may be in this building by yourself? We can try and nurse Angel and Spike back to fighting form because we may need them to get to the damn book!” Fred shouted in response. <br/>Anyone witnessing an argument can feel the tension within the space. Lorne being an empath means that he can feel it doubly so. He was beginning to rock ever so slightly, sweat was dripping from his forehead. The worst part was that he felt entirely powerless to do anything about the situation.   <br/>“I can handle any physical threat that may attempt to oppose me. And once I have located the book required to seal the portal, I will find the ritual to undo the Twinning Staff’s magic.” Illyria stated coldly. <br/>“Wait a minute….you’re wanna force us back together?” Fred asked shakily. <br/>“That is correct.” Illyria replied. <br/>“But why in the world would you wanna do that?” Fred was growing wide eyed and manic. <br/>“It is an offense to all deities that I be in this state, at half of my potential power. I will regain my full faculties, and I will rejoin the ascended pantheon.” Illyria explained. <br/>“No! I’m not gonna let you force me back in. It was so dark and scary seeing you control my body, use my voice. You can’t do this!” Fred shouted frantically. <br/>“I can, and I will.” Illyria stated simply. <br/>Fred’s face was that of pure anguish, then it wrinkled into one of sheer aggression. She raised both her arms and in one fluid motion shoved Illyria across the room and into the fireplace. This time the fireplace caved in on itself, partially covering Illyria in rubble. In less than a second Illyria was back on her feet, sending the rubble sprawling out across the room. A smile crept across her face. <br/>“Oh I am so glad you have chosen this course of action.” She took a brief moment to dust herself off. <br/>“I’m not letting you do this to me. I have a right to exist damn it!” Fred held up her fists in an untrained fighting stance. <br/>“You may have half of my power, but you are sorely lacking in fighting experience.” Illyria stated calmly as she walked across the room. <br/>Fred’s mind was spinning. She knew she didn’t have long before Illyria would attack, and she also knew Illyria had a point about her lack of experience. So she had to outsmart her. Movement caught Fred’s eye. She looked behind Illyria to see Angel and Spike were beginning to rouse. Then an idea began to take shape. <br/>Illyria struck Fred hard in the stomach causing her to double over. <br/>“Illyria please there’s no need for any of this.” Lorne said shakily as he stood to his feet and approached them cautiously. <br/>“Stay out of this useless demon.” Illyria said as she cut her eyes back at Lorne. <br/>Looking at Lorne was all the distraction Fred needed. In her doubled over position she lunged forward forcing her shoulder into Illyria’s midsection. She drove Illyria back on her heels and sent her to her back. Illyria landed on the floor in between the now conscious vampires.<br/>“Drink up boys!” Fred shouted.<br/>Both Angel and Spike donned their bumpy faces and lunged out of their respective pieces of furniture. They landed on Illyria and plunged their fangs into either side of her neck. Illyria began to thrash wildly and flung both of the vampires off of her. As soon as she stood back to her feet Fred was there delivering a forceful kick to the side of her head. The forceful blow sent her back to the ground immediately. <br/>The two vampires rushed back in on either side and continued to drink. Illyria resumed her thrashing though her rapidly draining blood depleted her strength. Soon her thrashing grew weak and then stopped altogether as her body went limp and unconscious. Angel and Spike ceased their drinking and wiped the blood from their mouths and looked back to Fred and Lorne. Their eyes had a bluish tinge to them. <br/>“So glad you two woke up when you did. Illyria’s wanting to undo the Twinning Staff magic and take me away again.” Fred explained with a sigh of relief. <br/>“Shit that doesn’t surprise me.” Spike said while rolling his eyes. <br/>“We can’t let her do that. But because of the Twinning Staff, if one of you dies the other dies.” Angel explained in rapid manner, obviously high from the god blood. <br/>“Oh….” Was all Fred could say. This was the first time she had heard that tidbit of information. <br/>“We’ll have to find a way to restrain her…..umm….forever I guess. It’s not like she’s going to stop wanting to be whole again.” Lorne said as he rubbed the back of his head nervously. <br/>“How the hell are we gonna pull that off?” Spike said looking down at the unconscious Illyria. <br/>“Well, she was forced inside of a sarcophagus before….” Angel said his eyes shifting back and forth. <br/>“Oh I bet we can find the ritual to pull that off somewhere in this godforsaken law firm!” Fred said with a chipper expression. <br/>The four of them all exchanged glances and nodded in agreement. They would have to perform this ritual before performing the portal sealing ritual. Illyria continued to be a problem that would only cause further delays. <br/>“Cool, we’ll treat as practice before the world saving ritual.” Spike said with a grin.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm beginning the process of moving so I don't know how frequently I'll be able to post for the next little while. Please be patient with me, and I truly appreciate all of you.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 15<br/>The four of them made their way out of the lounge room where not much lounging had just transpired. Other than from the two napping vampires. Angel took it upon himself to shoulder Illyria’s unconscious body, ever the gallant one. It took them roughly twenty minutes to find the lab Fred used to conduct research in. The same lab where she had made the fatal error of opening the sarcophagus in the first place. <br/>Angel laid Illyria down on one of the examination tables. <br/>“So where do we begin with this?” Spike asked as he stretched.<br/>“We’ll need to look for the sarcophagus first and haul it in here.” Fred responded as she paced slowly while thinking.<br/>“Right well I can handle some labor.” Spike said as he clapped his hands together.<br/>“I’ll need help looking through tons of old notes on how to conduct this ritual, Lorne you’re going to have to assist me with that.” Fred explained as she halted her pacing and cut her eyes over to Lorne. <br/>“Not exactly my thing but I’ll do my best, sweetheart.” Lorne replied with a soft smile. <br/>“What should I be doing during all of this?” asked Angel who hadn’t taken his eyes off Illyria in concern that she may spring awake at any moment. <br/>“Someone has to stay here to make sure she stays subdued.” Fred answered. <br/>“That shouldn’t be a problem.” <br/>“Well….” Lorne began in a high pitched tone. <br/>“Well what?” Spike asked as he raised his eyebrows. <br/>“Illyria sorta filled us in with some info we didn’t previously know.” Fred stepped beside Lorne as she faced the two vampires. <br/>“Go on then, let us know.” Spike said sternly as he crossed his arms. <br/>“She said that….god blood was addictive to vampires.” Fred began to explain. <br/>“All blood is pretty addictive to Vampires, the same way food is addictive to non vampires.” Angel said looking up for the first time since arriving in the lab. <br/>“Well it’s apparently different in the case of divine blood.” Lorne stated cautiously.<br/>“How do you mean?” Spike asked as he took a single step in their direction and squinted his eyes. <br/>“It’s why you two passed out earlier. You ran on a high for a bit, right? Then you crashed. And now, according to Illyria, you’ll be feeling the need to drink god blood exclusively.” Fred explained as she reflexively held up her hands in a placating manner. <br/>Spike looked to Angel, who returned the stare. They both looked at Illyria, then back up to Fred. Angel brought a hand up to his chin as he began to contemplate what Fred just said. <br/>“What are we supposed to do then?” Angel asked after what felt like an eternity of silence. <br/>“I honestly have no idea. But if you two passed out after drinking from Illyria then there must be some truth to what she said. She also said…..that you’d be willing to do anything to drink some more.” Fred continued to explain as she looked down and away from their piercing eyes. <br/>“Hold on a minute. If that’s true then you’ll be in quite a bit of danger, seeing as how we’re about to re imprison her. Right?” Spike said with some trepidation. <br/>“Well…. Yeah…” was all Fred could bring herself to say. <br/>“Fred I would never let myself bring harm to you in any way.” Angel stated immediately. <br/>“You wouldn’t be yourself Angel cakes. Addicts are dangerous people.” Lorne said. <br/>“Well then we can’t put her away then can we? If we’re gonna feel forced to drink god blood, then I’d rather it be from her than from you.” Spike said as he ran his fingers through his hair. <br/>“We can’t help Buffy’s crew perform the ritual while also constantly clashing with Illyria. Plus I’m in danger anyways if we don’t seal her away because she wants to refuse us. And I refuse to be trapped inside again! I’m my own person gosh darn it!” Fred sputtered out frantically. <br/>“Hey hey,” Angel began in a soothing tone “we aren’t going to let her lock you back up. So, we go ahead with the plan of conducting this ritual. Then, before finding the book, we look into ways of getting rid of addiction. There surely must be some way of doing so.” <br/>“Okay right, we do this sarcophagus ritual, that I’m for sure with. But, let’s just say we look and don’t find any ways to alleviate addiction…..what do we do then?” Spike asked as he stepped up face to face with Angel. <br/>Angel locked eyes with him for moment. Then his eyes looked left and right as he contemplated Spike’s very realistic assertion. <br/>“When we start feeling the call to feed on Fred,” Fred couldn’t help but gulp when Angel said it “we lock ourselves up.”<br/>“Lock ourselves up? When we’re supposed to be closing a hell gate?” Spike asked as he threw his hands up in the air. <br/>“Look, Fred and Lorne will still be able to help the Scoobies without us. And it’s better than the alternative of us draining Fred dry.” Lorne rapidly nodded his head in agreement when Angel finished this statement. <br/>Spike put his hands behind his head and began pacing perpendicular to where Angel was standing. <br/>“Okay,” Spike finally said as he stopped his pacing and once again locked eyes with Angel “I can agree to this. But let’s hurry up with this lil operation so we have a better shot at curing us two sodding idiots.”<br/>They all nodded in agreement and set about their pre assigned tasks. Spike ran throughout the other nearby rooms frantically searching for the sarcophagus that began this whole mess. Fred and Lorne ran to the library and began pulling down stack after stack of books so they could poor over their contents. Angel stayed put and sat down next to Illyria’s unconscious body. He had hoped he wouldn’t see her begin to move, he could only assume that drinking more of her blood would worsen the addiction. <br/>Why couldn’t I get addicted to a normal, more readily available substance? Spike couldn’t help but wonder to himself as he moved crates continuing his search. Coulda been alcohol, coulda been any drug, but nope he had to go and get himself addicted to a type of blood that only existed in two people on Earth. Always taking matters to the extreme, even after having died, twice. His self loathing came to a screeching halt when he moved the last crate and finally saw the edge of what must be the sarcophagus poking out from under a pile of various other stored items. Thank Christ for small victories, he thought to himself. Now for the potentially arduous task of actually hauling the unwieldy object back to the lab. Angel should have volunteered for this, the ponce. <br/>Fortunately it didn’t take Fred long to spot the ritual to lock Illyria away. Lorne breathed a heavy sigh of relief that this task didn’t hinge on his scholastic proficiencies. The next hour was spent with Fred’s head stuck in that book making sense of the necessary procedures. When she felt she had a clear understanding of it she picked up the book and her and Lorne rushed back to the lab. They ran into Spike in the hall on their way. He had the sarcophagus tipped up on its bottom edge and was dragging it on his back. <br/>“Oh goodness let me help!” Fred began “Here Lorne, keep this page in the book “ <br/>She handed the open book to Lorne as she circled around to the back of the sarcophagus. Fred squat down and wrapped her arms around the bottom and stood up with it with surprising ease. She wasn’t sure if she would ever get fully used to having such enhanced strength.<br/>“Shit were you lifting weights the entire time you were locked in your own head?” Spike quipped and both Fred and Lorne chuckled. <br/>A little bit of levity was obviously sorely needed by everyone in this group. With Fred’s assistance the process of bringing the sarcophagus into the lab went much more smoothly. They sat it down next to the table where Illyria lay. Angel immediately rose to his feet eager to help. <br/>“How do we begin this?” Angel asked as he tented his fingers. <br/>After setting the sarcophagus down, Fred walked up to Lorne and retrieved the book. She re read the passage to make sure she had it right. Then, while looking at the book, she walked up to the Sarcophagus and placed her other hand on its lid. <br/>“Aperire sigillum!” she shouted in Latin. <br/>The others looked shocked as the sarcophagus began to dimly glow around the crease to the lid. Then the lid unlatched itself. <br/>“Okay, now go ahead and open the lid.” Fred explained excitedly. <br/>After Angel and Spike hefted the heavy lid off of it and to the side, Fred nodded. <br/>“Now next step is just to put her in it. Simple enough”<br/>Spike let Angel handle this once again, dragging the sarcophagus on his own for the time he did was enough physical exertion for the moment. Angel lay her down carefully within the open sarcophagus. He put his hands on the lid getting ready to close it, but looked to Fred for approval before he did so. <br/>“Yes go ahead!” Fred reassured and Angel slip the cover back over the sarcophagus. <br/>Fred continued to re read the next few passages, she absolutely did not want to get any step wrong. As she read though there began to be the sounds of struggling from within the closed sarcophagus. They could all hear Illyria had awoken and was beginning to lift the lid. <br/>“No! This will not be my fate once again! I deserve to be amongst the living. It is my divine right!” Illyria shouted in pure rage. <br/>Spike and Angel immediately pressed down on the lid keeping it closed as best they could. With having lost so much of her blood Illyria was drained of some of her strength, but they knew she recharged quickly so out wasn’t going to be long before she had this lid opened despite both Spike and Angel forcing it downwards. <br/>“Fred we don’t have much time!” Angel shouted. <br/>“I’m working on it trust me!” Fred frantically retorted.<br/>Her eyes in a frenzy sped along the passages as she soaked in the information. She needed to take a chance and begin chanting, if she didn’t they may not have the chance to subdue her again. Fred begin drawing shaped in the air with her fingers as she chanted in Latin. As she spoke the symbols she drew actually were made seen as glowing sigils of light. Each sigil once completed then floated it’s way over to the sarcophagus and lit up a rune that was etched into it’s exterior. <br/>The thrashing continued from within. Illyria’s strength was returning to her quickly and each thrash from her caused the lid to jump a little more. Spike and Angel both exerted themselves to their limits keeping the lid in place. After six of these sigils had been drawn and then absorbed into the sarcophagus, the crease around the lid once again glowed. A sealing sound could be heard. Illyria’s shouts from within began to fade as the glowing sigils and lid crease faded. Angel and Spike kept their pressure down on the lid despite the thrashing having stopped. <br/>There were several silent moments. <br/>“I don’t want to jinx anything, but I do believe it’s over.” Lorne said with a hesitant smile. <br/>Angel and Spike cautiously backed away from the sarcophagus, still ready to pounce back on it at the slightest hint of movement. The sarcophagus remained still. It was over Illyria had been once again sealed away, and Fred was safe. <br/>“That’s right! You stay in your box like a bad goddess deserves. No one ever threatens Winifred Burkle and gets….” Fred’s victory speech had been cut short as she Spike and Angel both go to one knee nearly simultaneously. <br/>They both cut eyes to one another as they both felt the pangs of hunger settling in. They didn’t have long before Fred would once again be in danger.</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 16<br/>Their muscles ached. They had been walking for miles and miles since entering LA, and the multiple fights for their lives had taken it’s toll. Yet they marched on, because they had to. Hopefully Angel’s team would be waiting for them, though the dread of the possibility that Angel’s team wouldn’t be there at all had settled in each of the Scoobies’ minds. <br/>Buffy and Giles continued to lead the group. They wound their way through as many back alleys as they could, only every taking main streets when absolutely necessary. Andrew was ever grateful of the times in which they could used back alleys because of the slower pace they took them in. The nervousness of being out in the open coupled with having to move so quickly left his heart pounding at disconcerting levels. At least Xander was near, Andrew remained thankful for that silver lining. <br/>Amanda had never known a pet so affectionate and loyal as this kitten she had met just earlier in the night. How this baby cat could stay near when all that’s transpired around them she would never know. Willow walked much of the last several blocks with her head hung low. Xander wanted so badly to take the time to attempt to comfort her, but he knew every time they had stopped so far they were attacked. They were attacked and had lost three people. Xander couldn’t help but think a group therapy session was very much so in order once they were wrapped up here. <br/>Guilt had nearly overwhelmed both Giles and Buffy. Both had felt directly responsible for the direction and well being of this intrepid group. Buffy in particular felt horrible for having just taken such a nice trip, everyone else had continued her work in her absence. <br/>“We’ve finally made it.” Giles voice cut through Buffy’s self deprecating thoughts. <br/>“Now the real work begins.” Willow said in a low tone, seemingly to herself. <br/>Buffy looked around the corner of the alley they had momentarily stopped in. She saw the law firm, and she also saw dozens and dozens of mutilated demon corpses littering the path from here to the front door. <br/>“What the hell happened here?” Buffy wondered aloud. <br/>“Oh gosh it looks awful.” Amanda said as she saw the massacre and immediately looked away. <br/>“I suggest we all take extra caution in proceeding, whatever caused this scene could still be nearby. My word, some of the bodies look like they’ve been drained entirely of their blood.” Giles said as his eyes worked over the scene taking in every detail. <br/>“Alright fellow Slayer,” Buffy began to announce while looking at Amanda “lets do some scouting and give the others who don’t possess heightened musculature a little rest.” <br/>Amanda nodded in agreement and passed her kitten to Willow who looked as if she could use the little purr machine. Buffy and Amanda crept out from the alleyway and snuck up to a nearby parked car. They kept their eyes darting about the area looking for any sign of movement. Buffy gestured silently towards the next bit of cover they could get behind, and they continued their crouched approach. They continued this method for the next ten minutes until they worked their way around the entirety of Wolfram and Heart’s building. <br/>Andrew had sat with his back up against a wall and was rubbing his legs. He looked up to Xander and his thoughts began to drift. To what could be and what may never be. It occurred to him that they may not survive this ritual attempt, he may never get another opportunity to confess his feelings. He took a deep breath, he took several deep breaths. Andrew looked up to where Xander was standing, he wanted to reach out and grab his hand. He thought now was as good as time as any. He reached forward, but Xander had stepped just out of reach as he walked over to comfort Willow. Xander had unknowingly escaped Andrew’s confession. <br/>“Hey Will.” Xander said as he wrapped an arm around Willow. <br/>She was leaning on her left shoulder against the wall, looking down at her feet. When she felt her best friend’s arm around her she leaned into him instead. <br/>“Hey.” She said nearly inaudibly in response. <br/>“Don’t worry, I’m not gonna ask if you’re okay. I know you aren’t. And it’s okay to not be okay. Okay?” Xander said in only the way he could. <br/>That brought out a chuckle from Willow. <br/>“You have such a way with words, ya know?” she said her voice raising just above a whisper. <br/>“I’ve been told as such. I am the premier orator of our generation.” Xander said as a smile spread across his face. <br/>Andrew couldn’t help but feel a bit of jealousy bubble up in the pit of his stomach. He instead shifted his gaze to the end of the alley where Giles was posted. Ever the Watcher, Giles kept his gaze on the two remaining Slayers scouting out the area. <br/>Buffy and Amanda quietly made their way back to the tiny sanctuary that was the alleyway. <br/>“Looks to be all clear. Whatever caused that mess isn’t here anymore.” Buffy stated confidently. <br/>“Left that mess and didn’t bother to clean up.” Amanda added in an attempt to lighten everyone’s mood. <br/>“Alright then,” Giles began looking to everyone “we run across the street and into the building as fast as possible. We weren’t able to find a blueprint of the interior before leaving, unfortunately, so we’ll have to go room to room looking for whatever passes as a library in that godforsaken building.” <br/>Andrew stood to his feet despite the muscles in his legs sounding out their vehement protests. The group huddled near the edge of the alley and stared straight ahead to the front doors of the law firm. A sensation of anxiety welled up in the center of each of them, knowing that any demon they could imagine could swoop in cutting their jog short. <br/>“Now.” Giles commanded. <br/>Each of them sprinted across the street. They carefully stepped over the pile of eclectic demon bodies. Buffy made her strides intentionally slower wanting to be the last one to make it to the front doors. Amanda made it there first and held the doors open for the others. <br/>One by one they filed into what appeared to be a foyer which immediately opened into a waiting room. Buffy made it in last and Amanda closed the door behind them. <br/>“I can’t believe it, we made it across a street without getting assaulted. That’s gotta be a record in LA even before the hell portal was opened.” Xander let out in between heavy breaths. <br/>Andrew couldn’t contain a laugh. <br/>“Well, we made it inside. Everyone take a moment to catch your breath now that we’ve got some shelter. Then we’ll start searching each floor for this book.” Buffy announced to each of them. <br/>They had no issues with finding a bit of plush furniture to nestle themselves into. Their muscles were screaming, their hearts were pounding, and their consciences were heavy with the losses they’ve endured. Willow found a chair that she curled up in. Amanda laid herself across two chairs and was shortly joined by her small and furry companion. Xander sprawled out across the floor trying to convince himself it was cushiony mattress instead. Andrew nervously walked by Xander, thought of saying something to him, but kept walking to another large leather chair instead. <br/>Buffy and Giles, rather than resting, found themselves behind the desk in the foyer, where it looked as if a receptionist worked. A bottle of perfume decorated the desk alongside pink composition notebook with a purple pen. Buffy looked the contents over as Giles sat in the chair and attempted to boot up the computer. <br/>“Huh, all of this stuff looks familiar. I think I’ve smelled that perfume somewhere before.” <br/>“If Willow wasn’t so out of sorts at the moment I’d be asking her to do this. I cannot stand these dreadful machines, they are the true demons.” Giles said as he wrinkled his brow at the computer monitor. <br/>Slowly but surely Buffy and Giles ran through the computers’ files looking for some sort of layout to the building itself. Eventually after many grumbles emitting from the pit of Giles’ very being, they were successful. Found a map of the interior of the building and now knew where the library was, and hopefully the tome that was needed to seal the hell gate. <br/>Even having successfully locating the library Buffy knew her crew needed a rest. She let them lay in their respective positions for some time. Though eventually the mounding sense of urgency would overwhelm her to the point of breaking them from their rest. <br/>“Hey,” Andrew began as his voice broke “Xander?” <br/>“Yeah buddy?” Xander responded without opening his eye. <br/>“Now that…..that we have a moment….” Andrew trailed off as he struggled to find the courage. <br/>“Yeah? What do you need?” <br/>“I was just wondering…..if we could talk.”<br/>“We’re talking now, aren’t we?” <br/>“Well, yeah….but I meant in private.” <br/>At this Xander opened his eye and looked up to where Andrew was sitting. <br/>“Like in there, or something.” Andrew said as he pointed to a nearby office. <br/>All that Andrew cared about was that it was a separate space with a closable door. <br/>“Oh, sure. Let me just peel myself up off this wonderfully soft floor.” Xander said sardonically as he made his way to his feet.<br/>Both of them walked over to the office and Andrew shut the door behind them. Willow had noticed this but was too drained physically and emotionally to wonder what it was about. Amanda was watching too. She clasped her hands over her mouth and stifled a squeal of pure glee. <br/>“So, what’s up?” Xander asked as they were now alone. <br/>Andrew immediately began fidgeting, as if twiddling his fingers would help bring his courage out of the depths and to the surface. He couldn’t bare to make eye contact. Though, he was sure this needed to happen now.<br/>“I….I’ve been experiencing some stuff here lately…” Andrew began shakily. <br/>“I’d say we all have. Marching through a demon infested hell hole hasn’t been the best trip to LA I could imagine.” <br/>Andrew let out a nervous and shaky laugh. <br/>“Yeah, true. But umm…. I’ve been feeling differently.” <br/>“Different how?” <br/>“I think it started when I became an official member of the Scoobies. Sense we started going on patrols with the Slayers. All that time with you in the van, and seeing how you’ve kept your cool here. It’s just….” Andrew couldn’t find the right words to finish the thought. <br/>Xander folded his arms across his chest and smiled in a sort of confused expression. <br/>“Well jeeze man, I’m just doing what needs to be done. It’s not a big deal or anything.” Xander said in a dismissive manner. <br/>“It is! It is a big deal though!” Andrew couldn’t help but exclaim. <br/>“Oh? Well thank you, I wasn’t expecting to receive such high praise.” <br/>“Its more than that.” Andrew said as he finally looked up to meet Xanders’ gaze.<br/>God, Xanders’ smile makes this so difficult, Andrew thought to himself. <br/>“What do you mean?” <br/>“I mean…..” Andrew took one last gulp, forcing the anxiety down, it was now or never “I mean that I have feelings for you.” <br/>Andrew forced that last part out as if it was vomit be could no longer contain. Xanders’ lips parted in shock. The words hung in the air as the tension in the room became thick. Seconds ticked by slowly feeling like hours. <br/>“Oh….” Xander uttered in response now sounding as nervous as Andrew. <br/>“Yeah…” Andrew responded as he ran a hand through his own hair. <br/>“I’m not sure what to say.” Xander let out with a slight chuckle. <br/>“Just….tell me how you feel. I just want honesty, don’t try to spare my feelings.” Andrew said as he took a couple steps to close the gap between them.<br/>Xander took a few moments to process what had just happened. Then he finally looked back to Andrew. <br/>“I can’t say I’m not curious…”<br/>“Really?” Andrew nearly shouted in response. <br/>“Well yeah….it’s just….I’ve never felt this way for….for a….you know….” <br/>“For a guy.” Andrew finished for Xander. <br/>“Exactly! It’s new to me is all.” <br/>“Well, is it too forward to ask that we, knowing we may not have much time left in the middle of this apocalypse and all, hold hands?” Andrew asked as his anxiety reached it’s peak. <br/>Xanders’ lips formed a soft and warm smile as he closed the gap between them entirely. He slowly reached his hands into Andrew’s and their fingers softly interlocked. A jolt shot through each of them and they couldn’t help but to let out some giggles. <br/>In the waiting room Amanda, as if she was a dam holding back too much water, let out a squeal. When Willow snapped her head in Amanda’s direction all Amanda could do was simply point into the office where Andrew and Xander were now holding hands. Willow’s jaw dropped.</p>
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
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    <p>Chapter 17<br/>Fred took a tentative step forward, then caught herself. She had no idea what the two addicted vampires would do next. Lorne placed a hand on her shoulder from behind and urged her to back up. Spike and Angel, their bodies shivering, looked up at Fred, then to each other. <br/>“Don’t worry, I think we have a handle on it. Though we are starting to feel the call to feed.” Angel said with a shaky voice. <br/>“I’m not sure if we can stand back up. Help us to our feet.” Spike said his ego not allowing him to make eye contact as he said it. <br/>Fred exchanged a glance with Lorne. His face bore the expression of uncertainty, which swiftly gave way to compassion. They both slowly approached their two kneeling companions. Lorne knelt to help Spike to his feet. Fred reached down and wrapped her arms around Angel’s waist. <br/>In a blur of rapid movement Lorne was sent hurling across the lab. He collided into a table and brought it down on top of him. A front groan of pain emanated from the empath demon. Fred’s eyes grew wide having seen Spike throw Lorne, and she felt the low rumble of a chuckle form from Angel’s diaphragm. The two of them brought out their bumpy vampire faces. Fred’s heart sank. <br/>She immediately let go of Angel and turned to run. Angel reached out and grasped her by the shoulders and brought her down hard to her back. The two vampires were on top of her in an instance reaching their fangs down towards any part of her they could sink into. Fred’s thoughts were frenzied as she struggled beneath their combined strength. She knew she did not have long before they started to drink from her blood, then her strength would start to fade, and it would all be over. <br/>Their fangs grew close, nearly grazing her flesh. She continued to thrash beneath them, but to no avail. Fred closed her eyes, feeling that this was the end. A piercing shriek cut through the room and echoed throughout the building. Nearby glass beakers and vials shattered. Angel and Spike were forced to sit up and clutch their ears. Though it was painful for Fred too, she saw her opening. She brought both legs up and rocketed them forward, jabbing a foot into each of their chests. The force from her kicks sent both Angel and Spike rolling backwards and into the nearby wall. <br/>“Come on we gotta run!” Lorne said as he helped Fred to her feet. <br/>The two of them ran as fast as they possibly could out of the lab. Their hearts were pounding, both from fear and the physical exertion. They heard a series of voices coming from the first floor, sounding their collective confusion.</p><p>“What the hell was that?” Amanda asked the Scoobies as she clutched the poor kitten’s pained ears. <br/>“I would venture a guess at it being some type of demon, though I’ve never heard a shout quite that shrill.” Giles said looking towards the second floor. <br/>“Might as well treat it as the alarm for us to clock back in. Break is over everyone.” Buffy announced as she turned to stride up the staircase. <br/>Xander and Andrew left their sanctuary of the office room and filed in behind the rest of the group as they marched up to the second floor. <br/>“Pretty sure it was a demon.” Willow said as Xander looked to her with a confused expression. <br/>“Isn’t it always?” Xander replied. <br/>They reached the second floor and heard the rapid footfalls of multiple people running. Buffy whipped her head in that direction. Around the corner came running a pale skinned, lithe girl around her age, with wavy blue hair framing her face and shoulders. Slightly behind her came running a green skinned demon that at one point looked like he was well dressed, now stains and tears adorned his attire. The two halted their movements upon seeing the Scoobies. <br/>“Willow, you made it!” the blue hair girl shouted with an expression of glee. <br/>“Fred! Oh goodness I love your hair!” Willow returned the smile. <br/>“Okay, great you two know each other, but where did that shout come from?” Buffy asked pointedly. <br/>“Sorry lovelies, I hope it didn’t hurt you too terribly, but that was me.” Lorne confessed. <br/>“Something tells me you weren’t shouting like that for fun. I’m Xander by the way.” <br/>“Oh…I’m Andrew…hey…” <br/>“Amanda.”<br/>“Giles.” He introduced himself with a handshake and a nod. <br/>“So nice to meet you all! I very much so wish it was under drastically different circumstances, but I’m Lorne.” <br/>“Great we’ve all introduced ourselves, now what made you screech?” Buffy asked trying to keep everyone on track. <br/>“Angel and Spike. I’m afraid they’ve had some god blood, and now they’re dealing with addiction. Poor Fred here is the only source of god blood nearby, so they would do anything to get a hold of her.” Lorne explained. <br/>Everyone amongst the Scoobies looked to Giles for clarification, but even he bore and expression of utter confusion. <br/>“God blood?” Giles asked. <br/>“Well you see,” Fred began but was cut off by the sounds of rapidly approaching footsteps. <br/>Everyone turned their heads to see Angel and Spike rushing towards Fred. Bumpy foreheads, fangs and all, they seemingly did not notice the Scoobies had arrived. Their need for god blood giving them tunnel vision. Buffy and Amanda intercepted their movements. The two Slayers jumped forward with kicks that halted the vampires’ ambush. Angel and Spike were sent skidding back on their heels. Now they had no trouble noticing the others. <br/>“Buffy! So glad you could make it, we can get to work on sealing up that nasty hell gate right after Angel and I get full up.” Spike said with a grin. <br/>“Buffy, just tell your crew to stand down.” Angel said sternly looking past Buffy and to Fred. <br/>“Oh Angel, when have you ever been able to tell me what to do?” Buffy asked as she crossed her arms. <br/>“I don’t suppose the two of you would be willing to talk this out?” Amanda asked. <br/>An angered growl shot out of each of the vampires’ throats as they rushed forward. Giles immediately began loading a crossbow. Xander did the same as he stepped in front of Andrew. Andrew couldn’t help but notice Xanders’ bravery. Willow began chanting and making motions with her fingers. Lorne circles behind the group standing next to Andrew, not wanting to unleash another wale unless it was strictly necessary. Fred also threw herself into the melee. Though she did not possess the same training as the two Slayers, she did possess enhanced strength. <br/>Buffy exchanged blows with Angel. She could tell that though he lacked some of his usual strength he was fighting with a manic energy she has never seen out of him before. Amanda stifled her sheer terror and grappled with Spike. She tried to force down the lore of him having killed two previous Slayers, she would not be his third. Spike deflected Amanda’s blows and punched her in the gut, doubling her over. He had just enough time to look down and grin before a kick from Fred collided with his head toppling him to the ground. <br/>“You have overcome so much. Surely if you tried hard enough you could overcome this.” Buffy said between deflecting strikes. <br/>“This would all go so much smoothly if you just stayed out of our way.” Angel said his eyes still occasionally looking towards Fred. <br/>With Angel a little distracted Buffy was able to grab him by the shoulder and hurl him to the ground. Giles let a bolt loose that sank into Angel’s clothing pinning him to the ground. Buffy with a flurry of blows was able to then render Angel unconscious. <br/>Spike jumped to his feet and continued to trade strikes with Amanda and Fred. With a low leg sweep he knocked Amanda to the floor. He then reached out grasped Fred by the neck and held her up off the floor. <br/>“Sorry love, wish it didn’t have to be this way.” He said as he opened his mouth wide. <br/>Spike brought Fred near as he drew his fangs towards some exposed skin. A thud caused him to drop Fred and clutch his stomach. Xander had shot a bolt into Spike’s gut. <br/>“God damn it Harris! You have always been a problem for me since day one!” Spike said with a pained growl. <br/>“Yeah, and I’m not going anywhere.” Xander retorted with a smirk. <br/>Spike began to move towards his one eyed assailant. Willow finished chanting her spell and a surge of purple magical energy flew from her fingertips. It collided into Spike’s torso and forced him backwards into a wall. The force in which he was propelled left a crack in the wall. He slid down the wall and into unconsciousness.<br/>The group breathed a collective sigh of relief and exchanged looks. <br/>“Something tells me we aren’t going to have long before they wake up. Fred, have you located the library since you’ve been here?” Buffy immediately began giving instructions. <br/>“Oh yes we already had to conduct one ritual while waiting on you. “ Fred replied. <br/>“You already….okay great, take Willow and start looking for the tome we need to seal the hell gate. While you’re at it also look for something that can maybe get these two idiots to get over the whole god blood thing.” Buffy said confidently. <br/>Fred looked to Willow who was practically beaming at the opportunity to be in a library. The two ran off with Fred leading the way. <br/>“Giles maybe go with them, an extra set of eyes can’t hurt.”<br/>“Yes of course.” Giles said handing the crossbow over to Andrew. <br/>Giles followed after the two excited ladies. <br/>“Xander, Andrew, and Lorne I’m going to need you three to play lookout. Make sure no demons get inside this building. And of course if they do, let us know right away.” Buffy continued to command. <br/>“Yes ma’am.” Lorne said with a smile. <br/>“Aye aye captain.” Xander said. <br/>The three took up posts near the staircase and began their watch. <br/>“Amanda, you and I have the unfortunate tasks of looking for a way to keep these two incapacitated.” Buffy said as she looked around for options. <br/>“Well,” Amanda began as she looked to a nearby office on the second floor “We could put them in there and barricade the door with all the furniture on this floor.” <br/>Buffy thought for a moment. <br/>“Its as good an idea as any I suppose.” <br/>The two Slayers dragged the vampires into the office room and set about the labor of piling up furniture to form a barricade. <br/>Fred led Willow and Giles into the library. The three of them began walking about the bookshelves scanning up and down for the proper tome. Giles did find a tome inscribed with the title “Purification and Cleansing Rituals”. <br/>“This must have something of use in it.” Giles announced as he plucked the book from the others. <br/>Willow and Fred began their search on opposite sides of the room. As they made their way along the bookshelves they couldn’t help but occasionally steal a glance at one another. A smile would be exchanged every time they noticed each other’s gaze set upon them. Eventually their search lead them to the same bookshelf. At the same time the two of them noticed the tome they needed. <br/>“Ooh here it is!” they said in unison and both reached for it. <br/>Their fingers grazed one another and they reflexively both pulled back. Willow giggled. Fred blushed and looked away. Willow pulled the book from the case and the two of them took a seat at a table to begin pouring over it’s contents. Giles came over to join them as he read the tome he discovered. <br/>“Ah yes, here we are,” Giles began as he found an appropriate ritual “this should do the trick.” <br/>“Are you going to need me for that procedure?” Willow asked without looking up from the book. <br/>“No, I am quite capable of pulling this one off myself.” Giles explained as he took the book and left the room. <br/>Fred and Willow read the entirety of the ritual. They knew which symbols to draw on the floor, they knew which words to chant, they knew how many candles to light. It was the final passage that drew some concern from them. <br/>“Am I reading this right? Or is my Latin a little off?” Fred asked with a slight high pitch to her tone. <br/>“It says a live sacrifice is needed in the center glyph we draw.” Willow confirmed. <br/>The two looked to each other with concern. <br/>Giles rejoined Buffy and Amanda and chuckled at the pile of furniture they had amassed. <br/>“I hate to tell you this, but I’ve found a spell I can do to cleanse them, but I’ll need to be near them to do so.” Giles explained. <br/>Amanda and Buffy exchanged pained expressions. With heavy sighs they began dismantling their obstacle. Eventually a path was made clear to Angel and Spike. <br/>“I’ll need the two of you to hold them down just in case they wake mid spell.” Giles continued to explain. <br/>“Got any more manual labor to hand out while you’re at it?” Buffy quipped as the two Slayers entered the office. <br/>“My car could use a polish when we get back home.” <br/>Buffy smiled as her and Amanda knelt to hold the two vampires in place. Giles, with the open tome in hand began chanting his spell and draw sigils in the air with his fingers. As he chanted the sigils began to become visible through bright white glows. These white sigils then seemingly entered Spike and Angel’s bodies. Their eyes shot open and were also glowing bright white. Their mouths were seemingly forced open and a black mist poured out of them. Giles finished the spell and the mist stopped flowing out of them and evaporated into nothingness. <br/>Angel and Spike clutched their heads as they sat up. <br/>“You two got a hold of yourself or am I gonna have to keep beating on ya?” Buffy asked. <br/>“I think we’re good.” Spike said with a groan. <br/>“We can’t thank you enough for keeping us from hurting Fred.” Angel said. <br/>“You’re welcome, now come on we got the world to save.” Buffy said as she and Amanda helped them to their feet. <br/>It was like the worse hangover either vampire had ever experienced. Though they no longer hungered for god blood specifically, they still felt drained and even sickened from the experience. They limped their way out of the office and were shortly thereafter joined by Willow and Fred. <br/>“We have it.” Willow announced. <br/>“Oh that’s excellent!” Giles couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of relief. <br/>“Yeah, we know how to do the ritual….but….there needs to be a live sacrifice to complete it.” Fred explained with a dour expression. <br/>The words hung on the air as everyone contemplated the gravity of the statement. A tiny meow was the first sound to break the silence. They all turned their heads to Amanda’s shoulder where the tiny kitten had taken it’s perch. <br/>“Oh goodness! No there must be some other way, right?” Amanda pleaded as tears formed at the edges of her eyes. <br/>“Did the book specify what type of life it had to be?” Buffy asked the two researchers. <br/>They solemnly shook their heads with a no. <br/>“Well, in all of these old ritual tomes the instructions are quite specific. So if it did not say a live human sacrifice, then it does not need to be so.” Giles explained uncomfortably. <br/>Amanda could not hold back a cry as she plucked the kitten from her shoulder and cradled her. <br/>“I guess it needs to be you lil guy.” She said with choked words as she looked into the cute face for the last time. <br/>The gang set about using chalk to draw the appropriate glyphs on the floor. They found and lit a series of candles in the exact positions that were needed along the outside edge of the glyph. Spike produced a dagger and handed it to Amanda accepted it with despair gripping her heart. Fred and Willow began the chanting, standing side by side reading from the open tome. Amanda sat in the center glyph holding and petting the kitten, tears streaming down her face. She looked up at Willow and Fred waiting for their signal. <br/>Their chanting paused and they nodded to Amanda. She squinted her eyes and opened them to a flow of more tears. <br/>“I’m so sorry.” She whispered. <br/>She plunged the dagger into the kitten who let out a pained howl. This drew the attention of Xander, Andrew, and Lorne who rushed up the stairs. When they reached the platform they saw the blood of the kitten flowing out and spreading throughout the center glyph. <br/>As the glyphs became covered with the blood they began to emit a deep blue glow. The glow intensified to the point that everyone nearby had to close their eyes and shield them with their hands to protect against the brightness. A thrumming sound began from the center glyph. Amanda could feel the reverberations. A ripple was sent out from the glyph that spread throughout the entirety of the room, the entirety of the building, and everyone had to assume the entirety of the city as well. <br/>As the intensity of the glow began to dim and everyone could open their eyes again, they looked out through nearby windows. They could see that the sky was no longer pitch black, the sun had returned. Angel and Spike only needed a quick glance before reflexively jumping back from the sun’s searing light. Though the fires that had been started were still burning, no new fires could be seen erupting in the distance. By all appearances the hell gate had been closed and the apocalypse had been once again averted by the Scoobies and Angel’s team. <br/>Andrew turned and buried his face into Xanders’ chest. Xander returned his embrace by warmly wrapping his arms around Andrew. Giles looked out to the war torn and ravaged city of Los Angeles and smiled. Buffy joined Giles in enjoying the view, enjoying their work, though she could feel a pair of eyes were upon her. To no surprise she turned back and saw that both Angel and Spike were stating at her. <br/>As Buffy left Giles’ side, Lorne walked up and took her place. <br/>“To think with enough time this will somehow be swept under the rug by the mass public as some sort of riot or natural disaster.” Lorne said with a smile.<br/>“Its generally more comforting for people to project the issue as being something they can understand.” Giles said with a far off look in his eyes. <br/>Buffy approached the two lovesick vampires and crossed her arms. <br/>“So this is the part where you two fight over me?” Buffy asked eyeing each of them. <br/>“Normally I’d say yes, pet, but nah.” Spike retorted to Buffy’s surprise. <br/>“We honestly don’t think either of us are good for you. And, well, you still have some growing left to do.” Angel confirmed. <br/>“Oh….okay then, glad we’re on the same pa….wait a minute I have some growing left to do? You’re one to talk Mr. I’m over two hundred years old and I still brood about EVERYTHING.” Buffy said rapidly her feelings obviously hurt. <br/>Spike and Angel grinned and let out a soft laugh. <br/>“Yeah, I know.” Was all Angel said before giving her a hug “Thanks for saving everyone, again.” <br/>“Yep, we woulda been feeling all outta sorts about draining Fred had you not showed up.” Spike said as he pulled out a cigarette and lit it. <br/>“Okay, so that honestly needs some explaining. You two got addicted to god blood? And she somehow has the blood of a god is what you’re telling me?” Buffy asked obviously confused. <br/>“Yeah, alright” Spike began in between puffs “lets get into that story before you lot gotta take off.” <br/>Amanda grieved over the now lifeless body of her tiny furry companion. She had to help take the lives of many demons, and being violent was always difficult for her, but nothing ever felt quite like this. She had never had rip away the life of anything so innocent before. She hated the idea of ever even encountering the poor thing, but at the same time she was grateful he was here so no one else had to pay their lives to save this world. Rona, Kennedy, and Violet already paid that price and that was three people too many. <br/>“You were so brave when Angel and Spike were attacking us.” Andrew said his voice muffled by Xanders’ chest. <br/>“Those two guys? Not even the baddest vamps I’ve had to deal with.” Xander replied with all the confidence in the world. <br/>Andrew gently separated from their embrace and locked eyes with Xander. He slowly leaned in for a soft kiss. Xander, with a touch of hesitancy, returned the kiss. Applause could be heard from the ever excitable Lorne, which caused the now kissing couple to giggle a little. <br/>Fred took Willow by the hand and walked her away from the group. She felt privacy was needed. <br/>“So ummm you were really great back there.” Fred said somewhat shakily while adjusting her hair. <br/>“Me? Speak for yourself. I haven’t had a research partner anywhere near as talented as you.” Willow said with a smile. <br/>Fred blushed. Willow blushed. <br/>“Do…..does the Scoobies need another member? I don’t think I’m really cut out for LA.” Fred asked as her anxiety reached it’s peak. <br/>“I’m sure we could find…..a position for you.” Willow said as she took a step forward. <br/>Fred’s eyes widened, her mouth formed an inescapable smile. The two closed the distance between them entirely in an embrace. Their lips met with an invigorating kiss. The rest of the world seemed to melt away.  </p><p>The End</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>That will conclude this story. Thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time to read this! I cannot wait to start posting my next story.</p>
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